Ab Initio
by MistroStrings
Summary: BOOK TWO. Mara shut her eyes against the oncoming wind. Grains of sand hit her face like the small fists of a cruel creature, a reminder that she was very much alive and very much alone. Her fingers opened themselves against the powerful gusts, the sensation like another hand grasping hers. But there was only one hand she wanted, and Poe Dameron was already gone. Poe/OC PoexOC TFA
1. Initio

**A long time ago...**

 **In a galaxy far, far away...**

 **x**

~.~.~.~.~.~

" _Let's name him… Poe. Our sweet, beautiful Poe. How blessed you are to live in this new world, my son. How blessed you are to be free."_

~.~.~.~.~.~

34 ABY.

Times were supposed to have changed. Things were supposed to be different. That was what was promised when the Battle of Yavin had shed its last drop of blood. Peace, happiness, freedom, and all that came with it were to be granted to persons across the star systems.

And yet that couldn't have been further from the truth. Only one Jedi was said to remain in the galaxy, and it was very possible that Luke Skywalker was already dead. Or perhaps he was a myth. General Organa was the only person that made anyone certain of his existence; that he truly was as powerful as the legends told.

Threats flooded in from far corners, their spokespeople the precise sort of reptilian creatures you would expect to be saying such things. Some of them were humans, others were not. The worst of them was Kylo Ren and the men of the First Order. The power that they wielded came with only one outcome: destruction.

 _For what purpose?_

Mara let the question sink into her skin as her body sunk her further into the passenger seat. Alok Lokesh, a former Alliance pilot, was staring at her from behind the wheel with nothing but concern in his eyes. It made her miss the concern of her parents.

"Keep your eyes on the road," she said flatly.

"Keep the emotion out of your face. It's obvious when you're miserable."

Mara rolled her head sideways, shooting him daggers from the small cockpit. "My parents have been taken by a General of the First Order, a friend of mine is possibly being tortured as we speak, and you still haven't given me a solid layout of our plan. Half of me wonders if you're not a viable cause of this entire mess. Why shouldn't I be miserable?"

"Because you've been miserable for two years too long, Mara Crescent." He had replaced his hands on the wheel, but not without taking his eyes off her. The change in her position proved that his words had struck home. "That's right, kid. Your parents told me everything. Even if they hadn't, you're as easy to read as a picture book."

Mara shook her head once. "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't go there."

Alok could hear the harshness of Hari in her words. He wouldn't press the situation of Mara's child loss on her, having already known what it had done to the poor girl's mind. Without much certainty, but with a sliver of hope, it seemed that the Resistance had some effect in changing that.

"Requesting permission to land. Standing by." Alok kept his focus on the small moon ahead of them. If things were to operate successfully within the next few hours, keeping his mouth shut was key. Perhaps Mara had something on him in that sense.

"What's your call number, pilot?" A scratchy voice rang out from the side speakers.

Alok shot Mara a look of uncertainty.

"8945," she sighed.

"8945!" Alok grinned against the words. "Bringing nothing but smiles on this beautiful day."

A chipper laugh rang out on the other end. "If I had to guess, that would be the voice of Alok Lokesh."

"The one and only." Alok winked despite being hundreds of miles away from the surface. Mara could feel the corners of her mouth pulling up despite her desire to sulk. "Might I take a wild guess that this is Kes I'm speaking to?"

"You always catch me on my work days, Lokesh." The voice got gradually clearer as the ship prepared for landing. "I promise I have fun. Once a year."

Alok turned to Mara, who was now staring at him with raised brows. 'Who is that?' she mouthed. Alok could only smile in response.

"Well, Kes… You're going to have some fun today!" Alok brought his hands together, rubbing them as if he were in charge of a diabolical plan.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" The ship hit the ground with a smooth thud. Mara sat upright in her seat to take in the forest views, the warmth of the planet already hitting her through the glass. "Who is that with you, Alok? Don't tell me you brought back another broad."

"No, but your son did."

Reaching her hand out like a venomous snake, Mara slammed her fist on the call button, cutting all communication with the tower. Alok looked at her with disapproval, his lips pouted in some kind of mocking frown. "Who was that?"

"Someone who was going to help us, but now I'm not so sure. We can thank your manners for that."

"Who _was_ that?"

"Kes Dameron." The name bounced off Alok's lips as if they were old buddies. Mara knew that was unlikely, as Alok had never met Poe the day he had flown with her to D'Qar. "Former sergeant of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, Rebel pilot, member of the Pathfinders, beloved husband of Shara Bey and father to your _friend_ , Poe Dameron."

Mara released the hatch, the heat of Yavin 4 a distant reminder of her second home. "You planned this."

"How could I?" Alok innocently outstretched his arms as Mara began to crawl onto solid ground. "Just what goes on inside your head? Why don't you learn to open up a bit? Kes Dameron works at the landing strip on the weekends; it has nothing to do with me! I didn't even know about your little fluff with Dameron until two hours ago, and now you're accusing me of having some plan, a plan that you can't even figure out yourself-"

"Alright!" Mara raised her hands in defeat. "It's all a coincidence. I believe you. Will you just…" She laughed despite herself. "...stop talking for five seconds?"

Alok had already made his way out of the ship, and when he crossed to the other side, he met her with one of his familiar taunting smiles. He walked breezily and fit his hands around the steep curve of her shoulders. "We're going to have a good time together, Mara Crescent. And we're going to save your parents. You can count on that. But first thing's first; we need some help from Kes Dameron. Are you able to trust me?"

Mara took a deep breath. It was difficult to remember all the promises she had made now that her parents and Poe were likely being held hostage, but keeping a level head was the only way to win. She had been losing for far too long. "I trust you."

"I don't." The voice came from behind. "Who's this, Alok?"

The man, Kes Dameron, was not entirely a spitting image of his son. Mara suspected that Poe received most of his traits from his mother when she gazed on the older gentleman, but the dark hair and stubble were enough to give their relationship validity. Kes had smaller eyes with a fiercer brow. Poe's features, although striking, were not as sharp as his father's. Mara felt nervous at the thought of meeting Shara Bey, but tried to calm herself for a future that may very well not have occurred.

"This is Mara Crescent." Alok gestured towards her, but she was a step ahead of him. Her hand was outstretched with dignity, her shake firm and steady. Kes received it with a curious smile, the name sounding distantly familiar. "She's a mechanic with the Resistance, formerly of Coco Town."

"I know your son." Mara spread the rest of her cards onto the table.

"How so?" Kes folded his thick arms over his chest. There was still so much strength to him; he towered over Mara with his height and build, and yet there was no intimidation in his gold eyes.

Mara understood the indirect question. "He's my mentor, my teacher, and more importantly my friend. He believed in my from the moment I landed on D'Qar. Challenged me to a bet that would cost me my membership in the Resistance, but he always knew that I would win."

"That definitely sounds like my Poe," Kes laughed. "Now that I think about it, he might have mentioned you. We spoke only a few days ago." The silence that rolled over them was not unfamiliar to the former Alliance pilot. "What's happened? What are you here for, Alok?"

Alok's face fell back to its normal state of dissatisfaction. "Unfortunately we're going to have to keep the explanations and chit-chat to a minimum, but we need your help. Big time."

"I'm assuming you don't mean my services."

Alok placed his hands on his hips, broadening his chest. "We need your ships."

Mara carefully watched the interaction. As confused by Alok's request as she was, she had promised to trust him.

Kes Dameron had returned his vision back to Mara, but she was too busy seizing up Alok to be aware of his curious look. The girl was beautiful, albeit somewhat quiet. Kes had always imagined someone different for his son, perhaps someone with a quicker mouth and prouder stance, but the mechanic had a fierceness about her that recalled that of his own wife's. If the two were as close as she had stated, perhaps there was more to the story. Kes liked her without reason, and if she was a friend of Poe's, he would take the initiative to trust her words.

"You know that I have plenty of ships, Alok. I've never once been hesitant to let you borrow one." Kes matched his friend's stance. "What type of ship are you in need of?"

"That's the tricky part." Alok took a step closer. "We need two First Order ships."

Mara sighed heavily. "I don't like where this is going."

"Neither do I," Kes mumbled. "What do you need it for?"

Alok waited until several pilots passed along. "Mara's parents have been taken. The First Order gave us coordinates to their base in order for her to come and fetch them. They're likely using her as bait, but they don't know about me. If we can manage to get her into the base, I can wait in the hangar. When she brings her parents out as prisoners, I'll fly them to safety and she'll follow me here." Kes's shaking head picked up speed the more Alok spoke. "If we don't act now, they could reel her in without keeping her parents alive. You know how the First Order works."

Kes let loose a heavy sigh, his eyes befalling Mara. "Can you do it, kid?"

 _Kid._

Mara's mind spun back to the first time Poe had used that word, and how it had made her both angry and pleased at the same time.

"I'll do anything to save my parents."

"There's just one thing I'm confused about. Don't get me wrong, Lokesh. You're more than welcome to use my ships, but why would they want Crescent as bait? Bait for who?" Kes's eyes shined like amber in the Yavin sun. "Bait for what?"

Alok hesitated against the words. If they told Kes Dameron about their suspicions of Poe being held hostage, the former pilot himself would get involved in the scheme and put the whole plan at risk. On the other hand, if they didn't tell him, they were putting his son in danger of possible loss of protection. The words had to be chosen carefully if they were to get through to the pilot.

"They have someone important to me." Mara's voice was soft, the emotion flooding through every syllable. She refused to let go of Kes's stare. "That person has information that they want, and he's not giving it to them. Not if I know him as well as I think I do. If I go... if they torture me, he would do anything to stop it. He would tell them what they want, because he's as good a man as any. He's the kind of person that we should all strive to be, and I can't sit by and let him take it." Mara could feel the words forming a lump in her throat, her own voice jaded by the image of Poe being tortured. "He means too much to me."

Redirecting all the pain towards her friend not only moved Kes's empathy, but it put him out of the mindset that it might be his son she was speaking of. With a single wave of his hand, Kes ordered them to follow his heavy steps.

If they were really going into enemy waters, they would need to look the part.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Mara was staring at a hazy Kes Dameron. "This feels… unusual."

"It's bound to for a little while, but you'll get used to the platforms. Luckily you're only a few inches shorter than the regulations for a Trooper, otherwise this whole plan would have to be dumped to the Sarlaccs."

Mara glanced around the room from behind her warm helmet. Her mouth hung open slightly in order to breathe, the small space trapping in any air she had left. "I can't breathe."

"No, you probably can't." Kes replied from underneath a ship. He was adding final checks to make certain it would pass through security. "I think that's the point of it all - instilling fear into the hearts of their enemies _and_ the men that work for them."

"Monstrous."

Kes laughed, his nose dotted with grease. "That's one word for them."

Alok was adjusting the lapels of his uniform in a nearby mirror. The wide belt laced around his waist like a lock, his grey body now akin to the stiff posture of a regimented officer. It was unfitting for a man who barely wore anything other than a raggedy leather jacket and jeans, but he certainly cleaned up well enough to pass. "The only thing that will make them suspicious is that-"

"You're not actually a part of the First Order?" Mara chuckled.

"My skin. When have you ever seen a First Order officer with skin as dark as mine?"

"If you act proud, people won't question you." Kes winked. "Let them feel intimidated. I know you're capable of that, Lokesh."

Ignoring the playfulness of the scene, Alok glanced at his watch. Time was ticking by all too quickly; it had already been two hours since he had found Mara on Coruscant. A lot could happen in two hours. "How are those ships looking, Dameron? Are we ready to move out?"

"Absolutely. Just state the registry number on the ships and don't worry about getting duped by them being unregistered. I only got my hands on them a couple of weeks ago; the First Order won't have realized that the pilots aren't coming back."

"A couple of weeks ago?" Mara brought her brows together in shock. "They won't have worried about the pilots?"

A dark look glossed over Kes's face. "Unfortunately, First Order members are hiding in plain sight. They'll be on planets, dressed as civilians, for weeks to months on end. I was lucky enough to find these two unexpectedly, and after overhearing their conversations, I was able to…" He shrugged. "Repossess their ships, you could say."

Mara thought back to Poe's friend: the one he had said betrayed him. Who was she? How could she live a life lacing lie after lie together until she had a whole dress? The possibility of it made Mara shiver. It made her fear the few people in her own little world. Her eyes inadvertently glanced back to Alok, who was so fixated on his uniform being straight that she was certain he was not a secret member of the First Order.

"Crescent. Do you know how to fly a TIE fighter?"

She snapped her vision back to Kes. "I studied the ones from the war thoroughly, but I've never stepped foot inside. They're pretty hard to come by when you do small maintenance jobs."

"That would have been fine, but these aren't like the old fighters. This is a TIE/sf space superiority fighter."

Mara sucked in a breath. "Those are only for elite pilots."

"You _are_ an elite pilot, remember?"

Mara nodded weakly. "I can figure it out. Ships are like puzzles… They're all the same and can be solved, some just have more pieces than others."

Alok had rejoined them, rolling up his sleeves to prepare for piloting an Upsilon-class command shuttle. Mara secretly wished she was could be back in the passenger seat beside him, not quite ready to take the helm herself. "That's funny, because normally it takes me about a year to finish a puzzle."

Kes rolled his eyes. "Why does it not surprise me that you do puzzles?"

"A man's got to relax somehow."

Mara took a wobbly step towards the fighter, the Stormtrooper boots still unfamiliar. _They're just boots, Mara. You wear them everyday._ If she was going to pull this off, she would need the collection of General Organa and the confidence of Poe Dameron flickering in the back of her memory. Luckily, she had spent enough time with both of them to know exactly how to mimic their strength. Although Lokesh and Dameron couldn't read her expression beneath the mask's thick exterior, Mara smiled.

"FN-2188 reporting for duty."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

 **Welcome back, everyone! I'm thrilled to start this new chapter with a bang - and hopefully it does so - so for those of you who have no idea what's going on, let me redirect you to the FIRST BOOK of this series entitled 'Ab Aeterno'. You can find it on my fanfiction main page!**

 **Please leave your comments below and let me know what you think is going to happen in this story! I can promise much more action, romance, danger and adventure to follow...**

 **And as always...**

 **May the Force be with you.**

 **x**


	2. Liability

Mara hadn't realized that she had been holding her breath. As the stars whizzed past her at light-speed, their beams of white like the glint of a sharpened knife, she had been too distracted to remind herself how to live.

When Mara finally gasped for air, her hands sweating against the control board, she could feel the sting of tears lacing the bottom of her eyes. Blinking them away would do her no good; they were coming faster than the planets just outside.

Mara forcefully brought her hand to her cheek. "Everything will be okay." She repeated the words Poe had so often whispered. "Just trust me."

The coordinates would not take long to reach with the speed of her new and improved TIE fighter, making Mara somewhat thankful. It gave her mind less time to comprehend the mad scheme that she was about to step into. Of course, she and Alok had been the ones who orchestrated the entire thing, but Mara wasn't even sure how to hold the baton.

"Sergeant Terrim coming in."

That was the name on the uniform Alok had been wearing. Mara hesitantly pressed the 'receive call' button, her voice stuck somewhere in her throat.

"You hanging in there, FN-2188?"

Mara shook her head, her eyes closing against their will. The firm press of her eyelids made the tears stream down her cheeks. "Can we really do this?" Her voice came out somewhere between a whisper and a plead.

Alok was silent for a moment. It was a rare gesture for him, but Mara embraced it as hope rather than fear. "You're not worried about your own skin. You're worried about your parents. I can tell that you don't really care if you die, and that your tears are usually shed for someone else." Mara didn't openly disagree. "I can't promise anything, Mara. Only a fool would cling onto fairy-tales. But you and I are trained, we're disguised, and the First Order won't see us coming. We've got as much of a chance as we're going to get."

Mara nodded. "Yes. You're right."

"Of course I am. You need to get out of light-speed in about ten seconds." Mara knew it would be the last time she spoke to him without the helmet for a short while. Hopefully it would not be the last time she spoke to him at all. "I've got to go, Mara. Scratch that. You're FN-2188 now. I'll see you on the other side."

Mara said nothing. It was best not to say goodbyes if you had the intention of meeting again. Clicking off the call button, Mara placed both hands back on the wheel. This time, her hands were steady. Her tears had dried into a warrior paint on her soft skin, a reminder that even fear and sadness could come to an end.

Now was the time to be focused. She would make her way in, get her parents, and leave. If Poe was there, she would come back for him. These were the people that mattered most in life, and she had already lost that once.

She would save them.

If Mara Crescent put her mind to it, she believed she could even save herself.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

 **Starkiller Base.**

 **Location: Unknown Regions.**

 **Formally mobile planet.**

 **Moons: Zero.**

 **Terrain: Forest, Ice, Mountain.**

 **Diameter: 660 Kilometers.**

Mara stared at the star destroyer standing before her. It wrapped around her entire vision, the cold blue exterior enough to make her shiver inside her heated ship. Its size was incomparable, the weapon creeping from its core similar to a solitary eye of destruction. With one blink, Mara knew it could end the lives of millions. And it looked as if it had an itch.

Mara was heading closer to the main hangar with Alok only moments ahead of her. She had replaced her helmet for fear of wandering eyes that passed, but in her mind she was beginning to assume the strength of a Trooper. The cold material of her uniform matched what she believed to be in their lonely hearts. After all, they were certainly lonely.

"Sergeant Terrim and FN-2188 requesting a landing. Over."

Mara could hear Alok's voice ring back into her headset. Without telling her, he had requested landing for the both of them. Mara wasn't sure if that was an act of kindness or distrust.

"What's your mission number? Over."

There was silence on the line. Mission number? Had they found one? Perhaps Alok and Kes had managed to acquire them when stealing the uniforms and ships, but she wasn't entirely certain. And yet, Mara didn't feel that Alok would have been foolish enough to leave without one.

"5793 and 100039."

The pause that lingered between the three speakers was enough to make Mara gasp beneath her tight helmet. Beads of sweat dripped down into her eyes, her hands unable to wipe the burn away. Alok coughed slightly, a minor way of expressing his concern. She coughed back, hoping he understand that she could handle whatever was thrown at them.

"Permission to land granted. Report to sector two for mandatory report scans and mission statements."

Mara smiled wildly to herself. The first step had truly been that easy. Of course, the First Order was as ruthless as the stories told and any intruders were unlikely to pass through with such grace. She could feel herself landing the ship breezily inside the hangar, as if she were truly fitting into the role of a Trooper. Something about the simplicity of it all made her question who she really was beneath the mask. If everything was to go as smoothly as before, she truly wondered where the boundaries of her bravery could stretch. It made her long to get back behind the control boards of an X-Wing, but not to fix it. She wanted to fight.

The planet was large enough in itself, but Mara had not quite found the words to express her shock at the size of the hangar. It was perhaps quadruple the size of D'Qar's with five times the staff. Of course, the First Order was mainly working from Starkiller Base, whereas the Resistance had allies around the galaxy. Perhaps the thought was an attempt to not let the size frighten her.

When her TIE fighter was finally directed to its holding spot on the left side of the spacious room, Mara climbed out uneasily. Her boots were still uncomfortable, but as she landed on solid ground, she made sure not to blow her cover with such a tiny detail. An officer was already waiting for her alongside Alok, who had also brought his ship onto the main platform.

"FN-2188, where is your mission statement?" The man who spoke was perhaps not much older than thirty. The lines that creased his forehead were well defined and seemed to stretch past his ears. It distracted Mara that such a man could age so drastically, but it did not surprise her with his line of work.

"All the documents you want are in there." Alok tapped the small file he had handed over. "Both myself and FN-2188's records have been stored on there."

The man narrowed his black brows. "And what was your purpose for recording them in such a fashion?"

Alok took a step forward, his black pupils piercing enough to cause the officer to briefly look away. "Are you questioning my motives?"

The man glanced at Alok's badge, swallowing any further questions. "Of course not, Sergeant. I will fetch for Captain Phasma in order for FN-2188 to report back into duty."

Alok nodded firmly, causing Mara's heart to sink to the floor. She still hadn't said a word, but with the Trooper Captain at her side, it would be herself that needed to do all of the talking. As the duo watched the officer stroll off, they took a step closer towards one another.

"FN-2188 was a man."

"I can handle that."

"I'm starting to believe you can handle anything."

"I'm not sure if I can handle _her_."

From ahead, a female Captain was heading their way. Her armour was almost identical to that of the new Trooper suits, but with its elegant silver plating, curved breastplate and red cape, Mara knew that she would not be dealing with a mere orphan boy turned soldier.

"FN-2188." Phasma's voice was surprisingly high, as was her stature. Naturally. There was suspicion lurking in her breath. "You've been away for quite some time."

Mara was momentarily frozen, but with a stern glare from Alok, managed to bob her head. "When duty calls, Captain." Judging by Alok's quick gaze, she had done rather well with the voice drop.

"Where is your mission report?"

"I've given it to Officer…" Mara's mind flashed back to his badge. She wasn't sure if it was quick enough. "Wash."

The Captain's head spun around, her eyes locking on the Officer who had already forgotten about the recently arrived crew. He was too busy chatting with his friends to note what was going on.

"I've been ordered to fetch the prisoners." Mara blurt the words out before she could comprehend their meaning. Alok's cold stare was now turning her skin to ice, but she kept her heart steady beneath the layers of steel.

Phasma's head fell to her shoulder, the dark line where her eyes should have been now uncomfortably clear. "Which prisoners exactly?"

"Hari and Dex Crescent."

"That's interesting. I don't remember ever making that call. Who commanded you?"

Alok took a step forward. "I did. We've been given word by the General that a… _family reunion_ is soon to be in order. It would be best to let the girl see her parents before revealing her to Dameron." Mara was impressed, and could thankfully let her mouth hang freely open in shock. Nobody was able to see it. "For emotional purposes."

The woman said nothing. She simply moved her helmet slowly between the two, her thoughts entirely masked. It suddenly dawned on Mara that this was the real reason they hid their faces. No emotion was to partake in any decision of the First Order.

"Report back to me immediately after moving the prisoners. I'll have gone through a thorough scan of your reports and will decide what to do with you." She spoke about Mara like an unwanted dishcloth. "On your way, FN-2188."

Mara nodded firmly, standing herself straight in military position. She was unsure if it was the correct salute to be making, but the Captain had already grown disinterested. When her back was finally out of sight, Mara let an irrepressible groan pass her lips. "You need to move," Alok poked her in the chest. " _Now._ If Phasma finds out that nothing has been logged in that record for two weeks, she'll start to grow suspicious. No doubt she'll be on you like a TIE on an X-Wing."

Mara frantically questioned him in her usual voice. "I don't know where the cells are. How will I get there in time? What if I can't get them out?"

"Technically, Phasma's already given you permission. You have every right to request directions and a key. Now move, and don't question yourself. If you do, the others will have permission to do the same."

The sound of her heartbeat rang out in Mara's head. She wasn't sure if it was the compression or the heat of the suit. In the back of her mind, she wondered if Darth Vader had heard the same thing inside his mask. Was his heart always ringing in his ears? It was a part of him that he had still managed to hold onto, both literally and figuratively. Perhaps that was what had changed him into a regretful sinner. The constant sound of his beating heart.

Mara turned down the hall without saying a word. The walls were surprisingly brighter than those on D'Qar, but not in a particularly admirable way. The walls were made of solid steel, the lights on the floors of the narrow passageways just enough to make the reflection shine in your eyes. Mara was now, ironically, thankful for her helmet.

She continued to walk, not sure of where she was headed. One could have called it a gut feeling, but Mara was beginning to understand the First Order more clearly. The sound of their prisoners should be heard. They should be feared by all, including their own men. It was likely that the cells were not far off. Troopers passed her in uniform order, others simply strolling. Many locked and guarded doors were passed as she carried on, the cries behind them another suggestion that she was in the prisoner's wing.

None of them sounded like Dameron.

Where was he?

Mara gripped the blaster on her belt without reason. She had no intention to use it, and yet the thought of it provided comfort. Poe had taught her how to use it. She would have to thank him, once again, for that small act of kindness.

She couldn't help but think of him as the hallway stretched on. She remembered the roughness of his hands against her, his touch comparably gentle. His fingers had weakly locked onto the few strands of hair that had managed to escape her tie. She could feel the heat of his breath brushing against her skin as they slept, his gentle sigh much calmer than she expected of a Resistance pilot. Poe was not troubled by his dreams; he was living them. His life and slumber were both a blessing in his eyes.

Mara's heart was not the only thing that yearned for him. It had been a couple of days, but she had missed him more than she cared to express. The importance of him was suddenly dawning on her with every forceful footstep landed on Starkiller Base.

 _I can't lose him._

 _I_ can't _lose him._

"Trooper."

The voice caught her off guard. She spun around too quickly on her heels, grabbing onto a nearby wall to steady herself. Luckily it was a Trooper of the same rank, his head cocked sideways in what appeared to be confusion. "Where are you headed? Are you lost?" His voice was kind.

"I'm here to move the Crescent couple. Hari and Dex." Mara glanced at his number. "You're…"

A bright laugh rang out from behind the other man's helmet. She uncomfortably noted a hand print of blood splattered across it, the wetness of it still reflective in the lights. It took Mara by surprise. His entire countenance took her by surprise. "You're like my sibling."

Mara blinked in order to see his number clearer.

FN-2187.

"Yes... It would seem so." Mara laughed nervously, her masculine voice slipping somewhat with the press for time. "I'm sorry to ask this of you, but-"

"You need directions to the cells." The Trooper nodded. "I'm in a bit of a hurry myself, so I'm afraid I can't take you there. You need to head down the hall and make a sharp right. The Crescents are the last cell on your left. They're the only ones down there. Can't miss them."

Without thinking, Mara took a grateful step froward. "Thank you, I…" She bit her tongue. "Thank you."

"Not a problem." His words were slow, as if he were suspicious of her. Sweat began to pour from her palms, fearful that he had caught her. "If you'll excuse me, I…"

Mara waved her hand quickly. "No worries. Be about your way, FN-2187."

The Trooper seemed to be in a rush. His footsteps were fast as he headed down the long corridor, back to where the high-maintenance prisoners seemed to be. Mara took one last glance over her shoulder at him, not entirely sure why she had done so.

When she continued on her pathway, she could feel herself growing cold with each step closer to the cell. There were no Troopers guarding the way, not even what she believed to be the cell where her parents were being kept. Clearly, they were not much of a threat to the First Order. They were merely fish caught on freshly sharpened bait hooks. Taking FN-2187's advice, Mara pressed her helmet against the door.

"...We can't, Hari..."

"...I know, but..."

The sound of her mother's name put a clamp on Mara's heart. Sprinting back down the hallway, she stopped a fellow Trooper in his path. "I need access to the Crescent cell. I've been ordered by the Captain to relocate them."

The Trooper seemed a bit taken aback, but he began to fiddle with something on his waist belt nonetheless. It truly shocked Mara how truly ignorant they all were. Or were they trusting of one another, like a family? Everything seemed a blur after meeting FN-2187. Then again, she would not complain about their feelings towards one another. "I'm in charge of those cells. You said Phasma sent you?"

"That's right."

"She didn't say anything to me."

"She might say something when she finds out that you blatantly went against her orders." Mara outstretched her hand. "The keys, please. It's somewhat urgent as we're expecting their daughter any minute."

The Trooper did as he was told and made his way back the direction he came. It was highly likely that he was going to report back to Phasma and get a second opinion on the situation.

It would be in Mara's best interest to run.

Her fingers fiddled with the strange square key as she attempted to open the thick door. Whether it was the padded gloves or her own nerves, the door took a lifetime to open. When it finally gave up against Mara's will, the sight that awaited her was one of both horror and joy. Her parents, cuddled against one another, sat on a bench in the back corner. It was the only furniture they had, but Mara was surprised they even had as much. Their eyes were wide like rats in the sewer, fear shaking their every bone like a child's rattle. They were not fighters. They had never been fighters. They were public servants and bartenders, but they were the ones who had made Mara strong. Seeing them afraid only put her heart at ease that she was finally here to save them.

"What is it?" Her father asked through a face of unfamiliar stubble. "What do you want from us?"

Mara could barely find the words before her mother spoke. "Do you have our daughter? Where is she?"

Mara took a step closer. It only made them shrink back more. "She's here. She's ready to take you home." She used her normal voice, but the helmet was too distorting. The two exchanged confused but somewhat hopeful looks. It was not enough. Mara peeled off her helmet, the brown hair that they had gifted her with sticking to her forehead like glue. Her cheeks were undoubtedly as pink as the day she was born, her eyes just as beady.

"Oh my…" Mari stood up with shaking hands. Her fingers wrapped around her daughter's face, the tears falling faster than the snow outside. "Oh my… What are you _doing_ here? How did you _get_ here?"

"Mara, I can't believe that you…" Her father had not yet gotten up. The shock and luck of the situation was too much for his heart.

"I want to explain," she panted. "I really do, but we don't have much time. I need you to follow me. You need to look like I've hurt you. It's the only way we're ever going to get you back to the hangar. Lokesh is waiting for you there with a ship. He's going to take you back to Yavin 4, where you can recover and relocate. You'll never be safer anywhere else." Mara popped her helmet back on, not giving her parents any time to speak. "Follow me, prisoners."

Her parents, their frail bodies still hunched in shock, obediently trickled their way behind her. Their footsteps were drowned in the sound of the Trooper boots, but they would have been soft shuffles nonetheless. Mara cracked a smile beneath the helmet.

 _This could really work. It could really-_

"FN-2188."

Mara had finally reached the edge of the hangar with her parents. Everything seemed to be going to plan, perhaps even better than that, but Alok was too far away to offer help this time. He was watching intently as Phasma made her way back over to the girl's side.

"What can I do for you, Captain?"

"Where are you taking these prisoners?" Her voice was no longer curious. It was ruthless.

"To another cell, as commanded." Mara raised an invisible brow. "Captain."

"I do not believe the cells are out _here_."

Mara gestured towards Alok. "Sergeant Terrim personally wanted to escort them as he finds me somewhat irritating." The lies passed easily off her tongue. She was so close. Now was not the time to fail, as she had so often done in the past. Mara was determined to win.

"The thing that I find odd about you and Sergeant Terrim is that your reports have not been logged for two weeks. Don't you find that odd, Trooper? I certainly do." Mara remained silent. "Take off your helmet."

Mara sucked in her breath. "Excuse me?"

Phasma took a daring step forward. "That's an order. Take off your helmet." Each word sounded like a sentence in itself.

Mara's hands slowly made their way to the brim of her helmet. Fight plans were dancing through her head as each millisecond passed. She would peel off the helmet slowly enough to taunt Phasma. That would distract her when she finally discovered that Mara was not who she claimed to be. During the midst of Phasma's confusion, Mara would grab her blaster and shoot the villain in the chest. Her parents would then be pushed to Alok's side, where they would make it to safety before open fire was released on the ship.

As for Mara…

Perhaps her plan was less fortunate. At least she would get her parents to safety. That was the plan. That had _always_ been the plan.

Mara could feel the cool air slipping against her neck as the long seconds ticked by. Phasma was waiting patiently, the idea that she had won already firmly planted into her mind. A woman like that would never see someone like Mara coming. Because Mara Crescent was a nobody, but she was about to be a somebody.

That would have been a very good plan, if it were to have happened.

But before the helmet even passed Mara's chin, before the delicate curve of her lips could be revealed to the Captain, something incredible happened.

From the far side of the room, a loud creaking had rung out across the hall. The sound was like metal against glass, its sharp grating enough to make Kylo Ren cringe. Phasma's attention was immediately lost, and in the spur of the moment, Mara ushered her parents over to Alok. "Go now!"

Hari reached out her hand in uncertainty, but Dex pulled her back. He at least trusted his daughter, and would follow her orders as she had once followed his as a girl.

"What's going on?" Phasma screeched at the top of her lungs. A TIE fighter, similar to the one that Mara had steered only moments ago, was trying to escape the hangar. It was still connected to its safety hook, signalling its desperate attempt to make an escape.

Mara's jaw fell open beneath the mask, her words now unable to be suffocated. "What idiot would actually try and steal a TIE fighter?" Phasma had already left the scene. Troopers swarmed around her, their blasters aimed at the runaway machine.

 _Whoever you are…_ Mara thought to herself. _Thank the stars for this._

It was the perfect time to escape. Alok and her parents were already halfway off the ground, preparing to fly out into the night. It would simply look like an attempt to stop the runaway fighter. If anything, the presence of her parents went entirely unnoticed. Mara herself climbed back up into the familiar TIE fighter, more than prepared to make her escape alongside the others.

"Alok!" She signalled for him. "Are you getting this?"

"I've locked on to you, Mara! I've got your parents and we're ready to set out!" Alok let out a cheer; she could practically hear his hands beating against the handle. "Whatever idiot is trying to make a break out now is certainly saving our asses. I never thought I'd want to kiss a Trooper in my life!"

"How do you know it's a Trooper?" Mara unlocked her TIE fighter, preparing to head out.

"Normal folks, other prisoners… They won't know how to fly that kind of thing. It has to be someone from inside."

Mara's brows came together in her forehead, a strange thought flickering into her thoughts. "You're right. Only an expert pilot would know how those work."

"Mara, we've got to get to Yavin 4. TIE fighters have already been sent out to stop that runaway. We'll blend in perfectly, if we just pretend to fight. You've got the coordinates, right?" They were both already out of the hangar now, their ships flying out of the atmosphere at incredible speed.

Mara tossed the helmet to the floor, her circular widow opening up to sky of black stars. "I've got the coordinates."

"We're entering a shootout, Mara. Stay close."

Mara did as she was told. Up ahead a bubble of TIE fighters were chasing the runaway with the utmost precision and speed. It was the first time she had seen the First Order fleet in action, reminding her that she may very well be on the other side one day. Mara was still unused to the ship's main controls, and in the heat of the moment, she stumbled. A curious button caught her attention, her finger pressing down on it. A large green blast shot out from the ship's front, its rays barely passing Alok's ship.

"What the _hell_ , Mara? I leave you alone with the First Order for ten minutes and you're trying to kill us?"

"I'm sorry! I-I didn't know what the button did-"

"Now isn't the time to be playing with buttons, sweetheart." It was Hari. "You need to stay focused. If you get caught in their line of fire…" The rest of the sentence was too much to comprehend.

Mara had entered the battle field before she could even understand where she was. Blasts flew past her ship with incredible delicacy. Although she wasn't shooting, the others wouldn't be suspicious as their attention was latched onto the stray. Mara kept close on Alok's tail, as he expertly dodged shots from the escapee.

"Damn! Whoever is steering that thing knows how to shoot. Be careful, Crescent. We need to blast off in ten."

"Minutes?"

" _Seconds_!" Alok cursed. "Mara, where's your head gone?"

"I don't know!" She shrieked as she pulled her ship sharply to the side. She had barely managed to dodge a blast from the solitary ship. Little did they know that she was on their side. "I'm preparing to blast off. I'm preparing." Her fingers flew across the board mostly from memory, certainly not from a sense of certainty. "I'm ready to take off in five-"

Just as Mara began to count down, a strange feeling kept her from finishing her sentence. Her voice stopped in her throat as her entire head was flown back into the seat. A ringing sensation swam through her head, the high-pitch song enough to cause her to scream in frustration. The previously steady ship was now twisting and turning through the air at a shocking speed, and the worst part was that she was going _down_ , not up.

"Mara!" The sound of her mother's cry rang out into the speakers. "Mara! Alok, we have to do-"

It was the last sound Mara heard of the others. Alok's ship had already blasted into light speed. When she was left with only the sound of her ship's warning bells and the heaviness of her breath, Mara could finally make sense of what had happened. Her ship had been hit by the runaway. An entire wing of her fighter had blown off into a mess of metal and wires, and she was hurtling towards what appeared to be the red Jakku floor.

Mara let a steady breath pass her lips. If she gave up now, the opportunity to save herself would be lost _._

"Every ship has an ejection seat." Mara quickly skimmed around her, despite the ship's consistent twisting and turning. She kept her seat-belt tightly locked, trying to ignore the pain in her head. She was almost certain that her wound had opened itself back up, the cool sensation on the back of her neck all too familiar. "Where are you..." Her lip busted open against the sharpness of her teeth. The taste of blood on her tongue was not enough to shock her.

When she finally spotted the ejection button, she pressed it without hesitation.

Whether it would work or not, she was unsure.

She closed her eyes as the sensation of hot air hit her skin. A breeze, stronger than any she had ever felt, blew her hair out of its tie and sent it dancing around the sharp edges of her chin. Ever so still, her eyes remained shut. The voice of Poe Dameron rang through her head once more, replacing the horrible drone that had been there only moments before.

 _Just trust me, Mara Crescent…_

 _Everything will be okay._

 _~.~.~.~.~.~.~_

 _ **Leave me a thought**_

 _ **It's so easy**_

 _ **the box**_

 _ **is right**_

 _ **there**_

 _ **vvvvvv**_


	3. Lessons

**Hello my lovelies ~ Thank you all so much for your fab reviews. I'm going to catch up with some today, but before I do that, I just wanted to let you guys know something. I want to write this story as much as you want to read it. I have so many great ideas floating about my distracted brain, itching to get down on paper. I am, however, a full-time Master's student at a very hectic uni in London and my main focus is academic work. So, although we're all very eager to see what happens to Poe and Mara, I will likely have to restrict my updates to once a week! I hope that's okay with everyone, but fear not because I shall continue regardless. I hope you can understand!**

 **Alice42: Don't cry, haha! Or cry because it's a good kind of cry? Haha! And thank you for passing the story along to your sister; I really hope both of you can continue to enjoy it (also - why isn't my sister that cool to read fanfics with me?!)**

 **Guest: I LOVE YOU TOO. Whoever you are. Mysterious. Oo-la-la.**

 **Disneysidegirl: Thank you so much for following this story for forever! I really appreciate you sticking around with me, Mara and Poe! *takes family photo together***

 **Alice-Ann Wonderland: So glad that you enjoyed my Finn banter. Finn banter everything**

 **thedragonhorse: UMMM Where's my invite to Mexico? Jk, jk. I hope you're having a seriously fabulous time! If you spot Diego Luna in Mexico City, will you kidnap him for me? Kthnxbai.**

 **gotmoreissuesthanvogue: Oh, don't you worry. There will be plenty of Poe/Mara to come. :) (Is the devil emoji too suggestive?)**

 **LadyGe92: I hope you're feeling better, *in gollum voice* my precious!**

 **PHEW. OKAY. ENOUGH FOR NOW. ON WITH THE SHOW!**

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

 _Mara flickered her eyelids shut until the reflection of the setting sun off of silver Coruscant seemed far away. The scene before her was beautiful, but on that day she wanted to be elsewhere. She wanted to be a twelve year old girl on the beach with her fists dug into the warm sand like a clam. She wanted to hear the sound of crashing waves so loudly that the noise would drown out her mother's call back to shore. It was a fantasy, but it was an awfully good one._

Mara let the memory within a memory dance around her brain. Beneath her aching body was something warm and soft. Had she not been in such a thick uniform, it may have even burnt. But she enjoyed the moment. She relished in the chance to simply be. Wherever she had landed, be it dead or alive, Mara was content with staying there a little while longer.

It did not take long for her to realize that she was alive. The sun's rays were far too powerful and as they came crashing down on her without protection, the slumber was forced to come to an end. Hauling herself up with the little strength she had left, Mara opened her eyes.

Orange.

Orange was spilling everywhere.

There were full waves of it, the hills of Jakku sand far less impressive than the beaches of her dreams. Her eyes struggled to adjust to the blinding light. It took a few winks and a solid slapping of her warm face to adjust to the new surroundings.

Mara glanced behind her at the broken TIE-fighter. It was certainly in a worse condition than she was. The broken wings echoed of the cuts on her forearms. The front of the glass was smashed, very much like the blood dried onto her neck. Mara moved her feet slightly, thankful that she had not injured her back in the landing.

After all, Mara had been in far worse conditions before.

Grateful for once in her life that she was not dead, Mara brought herself onto her own two feet. The first thing to be shed was her Trooper uniform. This was not particularly due to the discomfort of it in the heat, but because of the symbol that it stood for. The wrong side of the fight. She rather enjoyed seeing the mask half buried in the sand, its sparkly white exterior unfitting with the rough planet floor. It was a reminder that some things could truly be hidden from history.

The ship was of little concern. With her head wound re-opening slightly, Mara understood that her only option would be to walk. In the distance, there was a small trading town. The name of it? She did not yet know. If she could manage to find work there, perhaps a caring soul would give her a ship back to Yavin 4.

But then again, Mara was on Jakku. She knew that had to be the planet, as the First Order would have been stationed nearby. It was where Poe was going, after all. Any history of a caring soul on Jakku was likely far, far buried into the sand.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

"Excuse me…"

Mara's voice was weak from the lack of hydration. Even if there had been a cantina, she had no change on her whatsoever. Without a powerful presence, nobody in the small market seemed to take notice of her. "Excuse me." Her fingers tapped the shoulder of an elderly woman. She brushed the girl off without a glance. "What charming people... Leave it to Jakku to pile up a bunk of junk and leave it there to rot." She kicked a bucket of screws in annoyance. "And I'm not talking about the ship parts."

From behind her, a throaty chuckle burst out in the thin air. Mara had hoped it was one inciting friendliness, or at least an explanation of where she was. She turned on her heels quickly, her eyes glancing downwards to fall upon a male Blarina. "You're funny." He poked his finger in her direction. "Something tells me you're in desperate need of something."

Mara's eyes instinctively flickered towards his cup of water. Without hesitation, the man offered it to her. "Takes like dirt. Probably _is_ dirt, but it will do the trick. You seem to need it more than I do." She finished it all in one chug, her shaking hands managing to regain some steadiness. "What is it that you need? You look like you've been through hell and back."

Mara glanced down at her entirely black ensemble. She did not want to know of the bruises that lay underneath. "It's not easy walking around in the heat when you're dressed like a Tusken Raider. The worst part is that I don't even know where I am."

"You're in Blowback Town." The Blarina looked suspicious, or as suspicious as the species could manage. "My name is Ohn Gos and I'm a merchant around these parts. You're lucky that you ran into me; I'm the nicest fella here."

"I can see that." She took a step closer to his stall, her eyes trailing over his used starfighter parts. "I want to thank you for actually taking the time to listen to me."

He shrugged. "It gets boring here."

"What if I can offer you something?" Mara pressed her palms into the table, her lips spreading out into a chapped smile. "In return, I'd like you to do something for me. Consider it a future partnership."

He audibly winced. "No thanks, kid. I'm already happily married."

Mara replayed the words back in her mind, the sound of it suddenly appalling. "No, no! I don't mean anything like that. I'm talking about a business deal."

Ohn Gos shook his fat head. "I can do business by myself just fine. I've been running this stall for twenty years and I'm able to live a comfortable life. I've never had any problems because I've never gotten into work with anyone else. I'd like to keep things that way."

Feeling as if she was losing her strength as well as his attention, Mara was forced to think quickly. Her eyes scanned the components scattered out onto his rickety wooden table. There were running lights, gyroscopic stabilizers, circuit manipulators, speakers, log recorders, and nearly everything else that a starfighter required. There was only one problem. "Over half of your parts are broken." Ohn Gos turned back around to face her after pouring himself another cup of makeshift water. This time, he did not look so pleased. "How are you going to increase your profits if sixty percent of your parts, which are needed to repair broken ships, are broken themselves?"

"So suddenly the girl with blood running down her neck and bruises up her arms is an expert mechanic? What makes you think I'm going to believe you?"

"I can fix them." She was aware of how desperate her voice sounded. "I can fix them, clean them up, and you can raise the price by four. It won't be difficult; I could finish this entire table in a couple of days with the right workspace and a couple of warm meals."

"Every meal on Jakku is warm."

"Please," she urged. "I just need one thing in return, and you have my promise that I'll listen to you directly. I'll follow your every order and fix every piece that you need me to."

Ohn Gos was wiping his hands with a rag, the gesture somewhat intimidating despite his size. "What exactly is it that you need?"

Mara took a firm intake of breath. Her vision was appearing blotched, the blood loss and heat finally catching up to her as a blaster had to Leo. "I need a ship. Or rather, I need to get back home. I'm not supposed to be here-"

"I can see that."

"-but I'm not a bad person. My name is Mara Crescent." She outstretched her hand. Ohn Gos did not take it, perhaps due to the dried blood beneath her fingertips. "I can help you, and I think that you can help me." There was a silence lingering between them. Mara's former boss had once told her that silence was golden. It meant they were thinking. "Do we have a deal?"

Ohn Gos was a strange man. A merchant Blarina on Jakku had little inclination to trust a Human female. However, that was exactly what he did. Without taking her injured hand, he nodded his acceptance. The smile that broke out onto the poor girl's face was worth his uncertainty. She didn't have to say that she was good at heart; he could feel it. Strange things had been happening around Jakku on that day, and Ohn had noticed them without fail. He was a man of superstitions and trust in the unnatural. And so when a couple of hours earlier a Human male had been reported to come into town, followed shortly by a female, he suspected that it was a sign that something interesting was happening in the stars.

Whether it was good or bad, he was not yet sure.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

There were no words that could express Mara's gratitude to the Gos family. Ohn's wife, also a Blarina, was a simple and kind soul. She said very little and served Mara equally as little food. Of course, Mara was eternally grateful. In no way did she include food and a place for rest into her deal with Ohn, but he had graciously given them both.

As a way of repayment, Mara had gotten started on the parts after every crumb was licked from her plate. She was sleeping in a small shed nearby the Gos home, the soft sand providing enough comfort to replace a bed on D'Qar. Her wound was doing seemingly well, although she had been unable to have it checked. _Well,_ Mara thought glumly. _If I haven't fainted yet, it must be better than nothing._

She worked until the late hours of the night, already fixing one-third of the pile. Her fingers were stained black from the oil and dust, but there was a newfound sense of pride in her heart. Being able to do what she loved, albeit for someone else's gain, could still manage to bring her comfort.

Before allowing herself a few hours of rest, Mara made her way outside. The town was eerily quiet, despite Gos living in the centre. Jakku had shifted dramatically from a red cesspool of crime to a sea of blue forgiveness. The light of the moon put everything into perspective. Although things could at once seem difficult, there was always the possibility of understanding and change. Perhaps she was thinking of Leo or her place in the Resistance, or simply the situation she was in at that moment.

Mara shut her eyes against the oncoming wind. Grains of sand hit her face like the small fists of a cruel creature, a reminder that she was very much alive and very much alone. Her fingers opened themselves against the powerful gusts, the sensation like another hand grasping hers. But there was only one hand she wanted, and Poe Dameron was already gone.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

On the other side of Blowback Town was a pilot. He was resting in the care of a Blarina scavenger he had met earlier in the hills. The creature had generously agreed to listen to the pilot's story over a cup of Bloodsour. After he had finished talking about his training, the crash and his desperate need for a ship, a strange look passed over the Blarina's face.

"You're a really skilled kid, ain't you?"

The pilot pressed the strong drink to his lips once again. It was helping to numb the pain coursing throughout his body. "Skilled, but not naturally. You've got to work for everything in life, or so my parents so vehemently told me."

Naka clapped his stubby fingers together. "That's exactly right. I completely understand where you're coming from, though I struggle to believe that such an expert pilot could crash his ship into Jakku sand."

"Accidents happen."

"I've been working as a scavenger for thirty years and I get no respect around here."

The pilot narrowed his brows. "Does anyone?"

Naka laughed, his voice somewhat high-pitched and childish. "Fair point. Unfortunately after assessing your situation, I'd say that you're in a bit of a bind."

"Don't I know it."

"I'm not much of a man for flying myself." He shrugged his square shoulders, the alcohol thankfully loosening him up. Of course, the strange duo attracted some unwarranted attention, but it was nothing the pilot couldn't handle. Rumours were constantly spreading about him, and not merely in this part of the galaxy. "Unfortunately, I've only got one ship and it's not going to make it as far as Yavin 4."

The pilot's head fell slightly. All he could think about was a soft bed, but not without the woman he was tragically beginning to fall in love with beside him. It seemed that neither of those things would ever come.

"That being said…"

The man's head rose in hope. Could he really be striking a deal on Jakku?

"... I do know _someone_ who has a way with ships. He's a kind Blarina too; goes by the name of Ohn Gos. I can take you to him tomorrow evening after my scavenge, but he may need some time to sort things out-"

"That's fine! That's more than fine!" The pilot raised his hands in excitement. His tanned face broke out into a smile, and if Naka heard correctly, he thought the boy had hummed a chipper note. "Sounds like a plan to me. Even if I'm here for five days, ten days, or more… so long as your friend can promise me a ship, I'd be the happiest man on this godforsaken planet." He generously poured the rest of his drink into Naka's cup. "As for tomorrow, don't worry about me; your work is more important. You come first."

"Spoken like a true gentleman." Naka raised his glass before polishing off the bitter alcohol. "But, kid... I'm not gonna lie to you. I've already forgotten your name, and if we're going to be sorting this out together, I think you ought to remind me."

His smile could be seen from the other side of the bar. His arms, although cut and bruised, folded back neatly behind his curly head of hair. "It's Poe Dameron." The words were like a song. "Just the one of me."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Mara was unsure if the weather had actually increased by ten degrees, or if it was because she had been working tirelessly since the early hours of the morning. The back of her shirt was soaked through, but it would be far too much to ask Ohn Gos for a dip in his tub. In fact, she wasn't even sure if he _had_ a bath. Part of her didn't wish to find out.

She was placed prematurely in charge of the market stall while Ohn Gos went to collect some items from a nearby wreckage. She suspected it was her TIE, but made sure not to take interest when he mentioned it. Judging by the slight flicker of his eyes, he had likely already guessed.

Her fingers continued to pick away at broken cables, attaching them with new wires and sturdier clips. A few curious customers had stopped by, but they all seemed to take more of an interest in her presence than the objects before them. She waved them off with an awkward grunt, not particularly caring to haggle. All of the parts would need to be fixed before she could strike a higher deal, and she wasn't about to lose money on behalf of her temporary boss.

Perhaps the day would have continued like that. Perhaps Mara would have finished two-thirds of the pile by the end of the evening, and gone to bed peacefully as she had the night before. That was all presumptive of course, but the words of a nearby merchant unceremoniously flooded through the sheets of her stall and captured her undivided attention.

"It's a bit strange, isn't it? Starkiller Base is just outside of the atmosphere and a pilot crash lands without so much as an explanation?" Mara dropped the floodlight she was holding. "Not that I take sides with the First Order. I couldn't give a hoot about anyone, so long as they both stay out of my business."

"I hear that guy's an expert pilot, though. Naka Iit was saying this morning on the way to the junkyard that he's really bigged himself up. The trouble is that I think that idiot Blarina believes him."

"So, what's Naka planning on doing? Helping the guy? Chances are that pilot is wanted. There's a possibility we could get some crash by turning him in."

Mara's hands fell over her mouth to suppress the gasp slipping through. A male pilot had crashed onto Jakku only the day before. It was very likely that the pilot was the same who she had been 'chasing' as a Trooper. Judging by the lack of description, Mara could not be certain that it was Poe. And yet her head needed to confirm it. Like a curious puppy, she stuck her face from behind the curtain and into the rear stall.

"I'm sorry," she laughed awkwardly. "I couldn't help but overhear you two talking." The men stared at her blankly, one a human and the other a Teedo. "Did you say a pilot crash landed here? I might be able to help you with catching his reward."

The Teedo snorted at her, his language still a struggle for Mara to fully comprehend. "We don't need you. We can find him ourselves."

"It just sounds interesting, is all. I'd be curious to see him."

"What? Haven't you seen a human male for quite some time?" The Teedo mocked, nudging his partner forward. "Feeling lonely, little girl? Maybe my friend could help you out there."

Mara realized her mistake in thinking that the citizens of Jakku could actually be helpful. Ohn Gos had been an exception, one that she would now never forget. "No, thank you. I'm sorry that I asked." She turned back behind the curtain with a heavy sigh. Her back slumped in disappointment, although there was still a flame of hope flickering in the pit of her stomach. It warmed her more than the Jakku sun. Whoever the pilot was, be it Poe Dameron or not, her curiosity was reaching new heights. It made her fingers scrub harder at the rusted parts. It made her speed increase in tying loose cords and reattaching old ones, as if her life was at stake. But with the dreary souls of Jakku surrounding her like a fortress, perhaps it truly was.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

 _ **Pretty pretty please review! I'd love to know your thoughts! A new chapter will be headed your way soon!**_

 _ **xoxo**_

 _ **Mistro**_


	4. Awake

**I'm a bit unsure as to what to write for this AN… So, I'm just going to simply apologize for taking so long, but I also want to say that you'll find out why at the end of this chapter… I haven't exactly done anything quite so intimate before, so please do leave your thoughts and let me know what you think! And more than anything, I hope you enjoy!**

 **May the Force be with You**

 **-Mistro-**

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The sun didn't set until late on Jakku, and Mara felt as if she had been working longer than she'd been alive. The two men behind her had stopped all conversation about the mysterious pilot as soon as customers flooded in to buy their smoking devices. Her brain had danced with thoughts that it might be Poe, but she knew that enquiring further would only get her into trouble. And trouble was one thing she certainly did not need.

When Ohn finally returned, stubby arms full of junkyard goods, he smiled warmly at her. "You look like you could use a good meal."

Mara wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her wrist. "Why does it feel like we've been working together for years?"

Ohn shrugged as he began dumping things into crates. "Could be the sun. You always start to feel mad in this heat; it's inevitable."

Mara's fingers lightly touched the wound at the point where her skull met her neck. Ohn hadn't seemed to understand the severity of it, but with the heat and lack of nutrients, Mara had nearly fainted three times. She would say nothing about it, of course, as it was typical for a man not to take notice of such things.

"I should have everything cleaned up by tomorrow evening. I might even be able to finish by the morning."

Ohn stared at her with beady eyes, his yellow face grimacing against the sun. "You must really want to get back to wherever you came from. Is there something special waiting for you?" He paused after locking up the rest of his goods. "Or maybe some _one_?"

Mara's head snapped instinctively to the stall behind her. The two men were already gone. _Probably to the cantina,_ she assumed with a snort. "You could say that."

"That makes me grateful that I have my wife and that we live in this safe, little village." Mara almost scoffed at his description of Blowback. "It might not be much of a life compared to many, but it certainly lets me fall asleep with a smile on my face. That's what we all want at the end of the day, isn't it?"

Mara nodded slowly, the words resonating with her more than she had intended for them to. Mara would have been blessed to sleep even a few weeks ago, let alone do so with a smile on her face. She understood that her mindset was changing with her desire to help the cause, but there were still moments where unexplainable sadness overtook her. It changed her soul into black tar, sticking her to the bed with a refusal to leave.

"Come on." Ohn waved a hand. "We can stop by here and get the rest of it later. Nobody steals anything in this town, ironically. Everyone already knows who it belongs to."

Mara stood up and dusted the sand from her trousers. She was suddenly aware of how bad she must have smelled. "Where are we going?"

"Home," he sighed. "Let's grab a quick bite before dinner. I'm exhausted and you're about to faint. Maybe my wife can have a look at that cut on your neck and stitch it up for you. The Force knows how many times she's done it for me."

Ohn began to walk away with a limp in his step. Mara watched him without moving, allowing her full smile to break out along the stiff lines of her face. He really _had_ noticed that her wound was bothering her. _Perhaps_ , she thought solemnly, _there really is some good buried in the sandpits of Jakku._

When the two of them finally made it to the small hut, the strong smell of wheat and salt flooded Mara's senses. Ohn's wife, whom Mara had still failed to remember the name of, glanced at them over her shoulder. "I've just finished making bread. Would you like to try some?" She noticed their hands were empty. "Where are all of the things?"

"I just missed you so much; we decided to come back early." Ohn planted a kiss on her cheek, causing Mara to glance away. Her own cheek suddenly felt colder. "I was also wondering if-"

"My goodness!" The small Blarina shrieked as Mara turned away from them. "What happened to your neck?"

Mara turned around swiftly. "It's nothing." Her fingers instinctively reached up to touch the crusted blood. "I suppose it hasn't healed just yet."

"I would offer you a bath, but I'm afraid we don't have much water. You can rinse yourself with a rag before you head back out." She seemed embarrassed, but before Mara could interject she was already pulling something from a drawer. "Before you do that, let me stitch that. The more you sweat, the more it will open."

It was an offer Mara was not going to refuse. She was unsure if it would help in any way towards her lightness of head, but it would certainly slow the process of making things worse. If Mara could finish polishing up Ohn's products in the next twenty-four hours, she hoped she could make it back to Yavin 4 without clonking her skull onto the control panel in an unconscious slumber.

Mara sat still as Gos's wife delicately sewed up the skin. Mara could feel the sharp sting of it, but remained as frozen as Jakku sand when the moon was high. When she was finished, the bread was scarfed down faster between the pair of them than a duo of rabid dogs. She splashed her face and arms with water, its temperature not exactly chilled. Ohn once again kissed his wife goodbye and headed out of the hut with Mara close at his heels.

The town was relatively quiet, but there was a slip of music coming from the open door of the local cantina. Mara was unsure of what day and time it was, but it seemed parties on Jakku did not have a set hour. A few thugs standing outside the bar's threshold watched her as she walked. It all of her might not to stare back. Not only because of their twisted faces, but because she had grown used to fighting such aggression.

"Don't mind them," Ohn mumbled as they approached the stall. "They're just looking for trouble. It's like booze to them; they feed off of it."

Mara shook her head once. "Trust me, I've met plenty of men like that to be able to pinpoint them."

The two of them began to pack the rest of the items in silence. Ohn would occasionally whistle a tune, but the sound of gusting winds was enough to drown out practically any noise nearby. Mara's back was turned as she arranged some gears on a shelf, blocking her ability to note that a couple of men were now approaching. She wouldn't have heard anything until there was an aggressive shout coming from the cantina door.

"Hey! It's that pilot!"

Mara craned her head up with squinted eyes, the sun blocking her vision. She could see the two men from earlier, their beefy arms raised in fight-mode as their legs darted out behind them. Ohn was also turning to look, but whoever they were attacking was shrouded by their large backs.

"What's going on?" Mara mumbled as she stood. She could see a small Blarina shouting out for Ohn who looked hesitant to join the fight.

"Whatever's going on, I don't want to be a part of it."

"It seems like you already are."

Mara stepped out from behind the shading of the stall. It seems the crunching of her boots against the sand had caught their attention, because one thug suddenly turned to look at her. Ohn stood by her side, taking note of his friend Naka from across the way. It seemed that Naka's companion was getting into a bit of a struggle with the human thug, and as the two fought against one another, Mara could make out the form of a man.

Without being able to identify him, Mara took a hesitant step forward. She was aware that she was being watched. "Poe?"

The question was like a chime in the dry air. It seemed to pause everyone's individual mission, including the man grabbing onto the so-called 'exemplary' pilot. When the human thug turned to address her solitary question, he also revealed the face of the person he was attempting to restrain.

Mara's breath hung on the edge of her parted lips. Poe Dameron was standing only a short run away from her, his utter confusion a perfect echo of her own. She could see hope and despair lingering behind his flickering lashes as both of them began to wonder if they were hallucinating in the heat.

With another soft foot, she treaded forward. Time seemed to stop altogether. The wind barely moved, and the music from the cantina deepened into the hum of a wasp. Familiar with the sensation of wanting someone so badly that it hurt, Mara began to run forward. Her slow run broke out into a sprint, her lips calling his name in desperation. The men from earlier had said there would be a price on his head, and Mara had uncomfortably recalled it only in that moment.

Before she could reach him, a pair of rough arms surrounded her. "What? Let go of me!" Her dry fists pummeled at the chest of the her captor, the other half of the vicious duo. She could feel her hair flying out of its tie, blocking her vision and ultimately making her weak.

"Mara!" Poe called out as he strained against his own aggressor.

"Don't try and be a hero, alright sweetie?" The Teedo mumbled in her ear. "Your little beau is coming with us and there's nothing you can do about it."

Naka stepped between them. "That pilot came to _me_. He's under my control!"

The human male shoved Poe away, but he didn't dare run after Mara. He stared at her from a few feet away, his battered face practically begging her not to shovel their graves with her anger.

"What do you care?" The human spat at the feet of Naka. "When were you planning on turning him in, hm? Don't tell me you ain't looking for money like the rest of us. Blarina _scum_."

Mara felt a dark seed growing in the pit of her stomach. When she looked to Ohn for explanation, he was already defending his honour. "I know what it is that you two are looking for, and if that's the case, let's work out some sort of a deal. If you let me have these two strays, you can take ten percent of my profit."

Mara interjected. "Ohn, _no_."

"Ten percent of your profit ain't enough to get me _anywhere_." The human's arms were fatter than tree trunks. Mara could see the veins popping in them with every emphasized word. "You barely make half of what I earn in a day."

Ohn snorted in amusement. "And what's your big plan? Turn the pilot in? To who? The only people who would want him are slave traders, and with a pretty face like that, it's likely people are already out looking for him." He gestured towards Mara. "I've already seemed to find one. If others come along and find out that you were the one who put him in the desert to die, it'll be your head that they come for."

The benefit of dealing with idiots was their gullibility. The faces of both men began to fall with the words, a clear sign that they had not thought through their plan fully.

"I've been repairing his goods to make a better profit," Mara spoke quickly. "You can check them for yourselves. They're bound to make four times the price and that's for every object rather than as a set." They were listening. "I worked as a mechanic in Coco Town before coming here and my credentials will prove that I know what I'm doing." She gestured behind her at the boxes. "Go ahead and check."

The Teedo glanced sideways at Ohn. "She serious, Gos?"

"Every word. I'd be willing to pay you part of the profit if you just let the kids go."

"What's she to you?"

He sighed in annoyance. "She's a person, and one whose blood I don't necessarily want on my hands. Is that enough of an explanation for you? Keeping her around is bothering my wife, so I'd like to get her packed and on her way if you don't mind." Mara felt stung by the words despite them being a ploy.

The human ruffian took a step forward, his fat finger protruding into Ohn's ribcage. "If I find out that you're lying to me, about _any_ of this, it'll be your head. Understood?" Mara had to look away. She heard Ohn mutter something like an agreement, but could not dare to face him until the pair had drunkenly made their way back to the cantina.

Mara's eyes finally glanced upwards. Poe was standing with watery eyes, his chest heaving noticebaly. She was about to say something, but found that there were no words to express what she felt. Joy. Confusion. Pain. He would have run to her in that moment had it not been for Naka's swift words.

"You have to leave Jakku as fast as you can."

Ohn nodded in agreement. "They're not going to hurt me. It's unlikely they'll even remember threatening me when they wake up tomorrow." He paused to look between the pilots. They were staring at one another with a look he instantly recognized. "Are you two together?"

"Yes." Poe's words were instant. "Yes, we are." Mara's jaw closed.

"I can tell. I've only ever made eyes like that at my wife. You can both stay with me for the night and head out in the morning. I have a ship that's in pretty good condition, so you'll find she runs well. Luckily for you, it's a two-seater." His words were just noise as Mara and Poe told their brains to wait. "Are you coming or not?"

Without taking his eyes off of Mara, Poe turned to Naka. "Thank you for all that you've done to help me." He met the Blarina's worried face with a smile. "Everything's going to work out for you, I promise."

Naka mumbled his respects and headed back to his hut with beads of sweat lining his forehead. It was clear that he didn't entirely believe Dameron, but the pilot had seen enough thugs in his life to know which ones were serious about their threats and which were not.

After Poe's temporary companion had left the scene, his attention returned to Mara. Her figure was suddenly tanned, the muscles on her upper arms more taut than they had seemed only days before. She had ripped the sleeves off of her uncharacteristically black uniform, and it filled his head with questions as to why she was there.

Mara was also looking back at him. He seemed the same, albeit a bit bruised and battered. There was no doubt in her mind that he had been the one to steal the TIE, inadvertently saving her and her parents life from the wrath of Captain Phasma. And yet, he was now stranded on Jakku with a warrant out for his head. What had his sacrifice truly offered her?

"Come on," Ohn said softly. "There's warm food waiting."

Both of the Resistance members couldn't begin to think about food. As they trudged silently behind their guide, Poe whispered from the side of his mouth.

"You have a lot of explaining to do."

Mara's lip twitched into a smile. "Says you."

"Don't misunderstand me; I'm glad you're here." She didn't need to look at him to know he was turning red. "You can't even begin to know how glad."

They had reached Ohn's house in silence. Mara's eyes continued to dart to his fingers, which were brown from oil and dirt. She wanted to hold them. Her fingertips were suddenly so cold in the desert heat, their tiny muscles straining to wrap around another hand. She had been aware of the desires that her mind held, but never her body. That was suddenly changing.

When they entered the small hut, Gos's wife shrieked in surprise by the stove. She glanced Poe up and down from his head to his toes, but Ohn moved quickly to silence her. He spun her around with a whispered explanation, leaving Mara and Poe alone by the threshold.

"I need to touch you," he whispered.

"Poe, I-"

Her words were suddenly frozen as his fingers slid in the slots of her own. Although they fit perfectly together, he continued to move them around, the dryness of her palm a strange comfort to him. He traced the tips of her hand, his fingers moving down to her wrist where he could feel the quickening of her heart.

"I'm sorry. My wife didn't cook enough for four." Something in Ohn's voice was laced with annoyance.

"Don't worry about it." Poe dropped his hand. "I already ate." He offered a warm smile towards Ohn's wife, whose light skin could not seem to hide a blush. "If it isn't too much trouble, I'll just rest here tonight and leave in the morning with Mara."

Mara's eyes instinctively darted towards the door, fearful that it would come crashing down with a Trooper boot at any moment.

"That's fine. But Mara, you've been working all day. You should at least eat something more than salted bread."

Poe nudged her forward before she could verbally disagree. "I'll be in the shed." He said his words loud enough for the room to hear, but they were directed at the mechanic. His hand lingered on the small of her back as he mumbled his departure.

"How charming," Ohn smirked. "Seems crazy that you two crash-landed on the same planet." He was obviously suspicious, but too humble to say anything.

"I'm… truly grateful that he's here."

"How long have you been together?"

The question from Ohn's wife startled Mara perhaps more than the sight of Poe. "Together?"

"I might have small eyes, but I'm not blind."

Mara sat down at the table with a thud. Her head was hurting again. "We're not… I mean, we haven't…" She had to ask herself where the hesitation was coming from. "A couple of months."

"You say it like a scared child," she laughed, spooning some sort of paste into her snout.

Mara ate half of her meal in two bites. She felt guilty taking what was clearly a large part of their daily sustenance. "I think I am a bit scared. I've only been with one other person and he broke me." The confession was unexpected and Mara prayed Poe wasn't eavesdropping. "Being able to trust someone, completely, has been hard for me."

Ohn's head fell to his shoulder in wonderment. "That will never go away. Trust in people shouldn't come naturally or you're a fool. Waiting for someone to prove themselves protects you, but it seems to me that he's an awfully good man if it's the First Order that wants his head."

Mara dropped her spoon onto the wooden floor, the clank of it like a bell too loudly rung. Neither of the Blarinas looked surprised. "How did you know…"

"A pilot and mechanic crash-land on Jakku and two thugs come after him. They're both nice people without prejudice. Starkiller Base is just outside of our atmosphere, and yet you wonder why we think that." Ohn pushed his plate into the middle of the table. "Your secret's safe with us." He wore a sad expression. "Tekka was my friend."

Mara's brows came together in her forehead, unsure of the implication behind his last sentence. She hoped it was not for the worst. Glancing down at her plate with slight shame, she realized that she was also finished with her meal. Without uttering a word, they both waved her off with a smile. As tired and afraid as she suddenly felt, the food was warm in her stomach and a friendly face would be waiting for her outside. When her fingers pulled back the door handle, she tossed a thankful smile towards the Gos family, but they had already started cleaning up.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Mara's boots crunched against the sand. She wobbled against its small indentations, her steps far heavier than they had been that morning. There was light slipping past the shed's wooden cracks, signalling that Poe was already making himself at home.

There was hesitation when she went to open the door, though she did not understand why. Perhaps she was afraid that it would be Kylo Ren and that everything had been a set up. Perhaps she was afraid that it was all a dream, and Poe was only a mirage dreamt up by the cruel nature of heat.

It was not, however, an enemy nor a mirage. Poe Dameron was standing over a small bucket of water, his hands splashing the cold liquid against his tired face. His eyes were sealed too tightly shut. His mind seemed far away than the simplicity of Jakku. Mara managed to sit beside him without stealing his attention, her hands a shock to him when they brushed against his neck.

"Hello." Her voice was warm like the candlelight.

Poe's eyes cracked open, droplets of clear water falling from his dark lashes. "Mara."

Her fingers lazily rubbed the back of his neck. "I thought you weren't real. I thought you were a mirage in the desert." She inched closer to him, her cheek pressing against his shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

He gently leaned her back with moist hands. She didn't mind the water on her shirt; it was cool and refreshing. "I was taken hostage in a village not far from here. I went to meet with Lor San Tekka, but he was murdered right in front of me." His brown eyes suddenly seemed new to her. They were exploring the room as he spoke, like a child with intense curiosity. "I acted rashly and shot my blaster at Ren. BB-8 took the information I managed to collect and fled… I don't know where he is."

Mara cupped her hand around his cheek. She didn't want to be an inch away from him. "But how did you get _here_? Your face is…" She rubbed her thumb against a cut on his hairline. "You got hurt."

He let his fingers curl around her wrist while she traced his lips. "I was in Starkiller Base and a Trooper snuck me out. He was only a kid, but he didn't want to live that life. We snuck out in a TIE fighter and-"

"You shot me," Mara laughed with her white teeth showing. It made Poe notice the pinkness of her lips. "I was behind you in a TIE fighter and you thought I was the enemy."

"Damn it, Mara. I'm so sorry, I-"

She began to laugh, making the scene feel almost normal. "Poe, you didn't know it was me. What could you possibly be sorry for?"

"Why was it you? What were you even doing on Starkiller Base?"

Mara's face fell once again like the dropping of fresh laundry. "A General took my parents. Ren must have gotten information about me from you. They went to Coco Town. They had planned to used my parents as bait to reach Starkiller, thereby using me as bait to get to you." It sounded complex, but Poe understood instantly. Kylo must have seen Mara's face when he used the Force to torture him. It made perfect sense, but it only made Poe's stomach churn when he realized Ren's true potential.

"I'm not going to let that happen again," Poe mumbled. "Every time you're with me you get hurt."

"I think it's the opposite." Her hand slowly fell onto his chest, where the collar of his brown shirt sunk to reveal his muscles. "I'm the one always causing trouble for you."

Poe shook his head slowly. He didn't need to elaborate when the words were so clear. "What about your parents?"

"They're fine. They're probably on Yavin 4 worrying about me. I dressed up as a Trooper to get them out with the help of a friend named Alok Lokesh."

"That explains the outfit."

Mara smiled much more sadly this time. "We have a lot of explaining to do when we get back to the base. I was only supposed to be taking a health break."

Poe reached out to the back of her head, where he felt the stitches. He winced at the sharpness of them, his fingers pulling back with frustration. "You don't deserve any of this."

"Nobody does. The First Order are monsters. If I get a few cuts for the sake of thousands of lives, then bring on the knives." She sat with her legs crossed, making it somewhat difficult to inch even closer. "I missed you."

He let his forehead fall against hers. When he spoke, the words were aimed at himself. "I'm scared too. I've never had anyone like you before."

Mara tried to lean back, but his hand was tight on the back of her head. "You heard me in the house."

"There's never been anyone that…" He struggled with the words. Was it embarrassment or shame? "It's always been just me."

He had never opened up about his past relationships. Mara had wrongly assumed that he had had many, and that perhaps she was one in a line-up of adoring women. It was likely that the adoring women had always been there, but perhaps Poe hadn't taken notice of them. "You've never been with anyone?"

He bit his bottom lip. "There was the occasional woman that made me feel less alone."

"That's someone." Mara smiled gently. Her smiles were never boisterous, he noticed, but always soft. "That's some type of person, isn't it?"

He blinked at her with slight annoyance. She was as smart as a whip and as quick as a jaybird, but there were moments where his inability to express himself was far from her understanding. "I've never had someone that I…" There was a dryness in his mouth. "Nevermind." He shook his wet curls slightly. "You're frustrating, Mara Crescent."

She leaned back in surprise, her face like an innocent dog. "Excuse me?"

" _Frustrating_." He hauled himself off the floor.

"What makes you say that all of a sudden?" Her voice raised with the insult, despite his growing smile.

"You always need explanations."

She pouted on the floor. "That's because you're so unclear!"

He brushed her thigh with the tip of his boot. "You're the one people would think had no experience with relationships."

That seemed to be the last straw as she stood up to match his height. "No; _you're_ the one who's frustrating."

He closed the gap between them. "What makes you say that all of a sudden?"

Normally, Mara Crescent hesitated to say anything remotely obvious of her desires. That day was different, and like the fist of a Teedo thug, she threw her words straight at him. "Because I've been standing in front of you for ten seconds and you still haven't kissed me."

Poe was a man of excellent flirtations, but he was thrown with Mara's cheek. She was smiling at him now with only one corner of her lip curved upwards. Her eyes were sharp like a cat's, her wishes clearly strewn across the invisible table between them. It was, for lack of a better word, surprising. He realized how foolish he must have looked, staring at her in silence with his lips parted, but found that he could do nothing about it. He had already waited too long to kiss her after her taunt and now they were at a standstill.

"Mara-"

She slipped her fingers beneath his jaw, fitting her mouth against his. A small moan escaped her lips as soon as she felt him, a sound that sent warmth across Poe's skin. It reminded him of the electricity he could feel coursing through his body when he would get behind a control board, only this was something far more personal and significantly stronger. Up close, Mara's face was pink and more curved than he had remembered. It made him think about the times when she had hidden it, averted her gaze, or turned her back to him. She had wanted him in those moments. He paused with the realization, his eyes scanning the sharp edge of her jawbone.

Mara didn't know what he was thinking. Her chest was still heaving in a race to catch her breath, but there was an energy pumping through her. His thumb was brushing against her jawbone lazily as if it were second nature. She liked the feeling of it there. She liked knowing that it wasn't the first, nor the last time, he would do so.

And then they were kissing again, their bodies tumbling backwards without comprehension of where to go. Poe's back met the wall, his hands gripping her waist to steady himself. Her stomach was firm, but he couldn't remember the sight of it. She had always hidden her body, but whatever scars she held were undoubtedly beautiful. They were her.

Mara sunk to the floor, bringing Poe down with her. Her back fell without grace into the hay, her hair spreading out like a wave along the thick grass. Poe's breath was heavier with each kiss, his hands more rough with the free range being given to him. Without hesitation, she pressed his hand to her chest, opening a door for him that he would not have knocked on himself. If Mara had brought any sort of baggage with her to Jakku, she had left it with her starfighter.

Kissing Poe Dameron was a battle inside of Mara's mind. On one hand, she wanted to feel him against her. She knew they would fit together like a puzzle, just as their fingers had, but was somehow afraid of that completion. Being honest with him about her scars would not only bring embarrassment, but would open a door to a life that meant Mara had moved on. If she grew accepting of herself, did that mean she was shedding the last memory she held for her child? Did it mean she was forgetting?

Poe's fingers reached for the hem of her shirt. Mara had decided too late not to let him see her. It was halfway peeled off when she brought her fingers over her hips, her hands spread out in a desperate attempt to hide her past. Poe was only staring at her face, unsure of where the sudden hesitance was coming from.

"I…I thought that…" He was short of breath, his cheeks red in the dark room. "Are you okay?"

Mara turned her head towards the candle. Once again, he was only thinking about her. "I don't want to hide from you."

He rolled her shirt back down. "Mara, you never have to hide from me. You're beautiful."

She sniffed. "My scars aren't."

Poe paused momentarily. After a moment of thinking, he squared his eyes at her. "You've never properly looked at me, have you?"

"What?"

Without hesitation, Poe crossed his arms over his chest and pulled his shirt over his head. He tossed it lazily to the side, just narrowly missing the flame. Perhaps he was right; she had never been truly brave enough to stare at his chiseled body. Now that he was in front of her, she could understand what he meant. Littered across his chest were tiny scars, some long and thin, others short and thick. He let her examine them with wide, almost fearful eyes, the stories they told likely far more painful than her own.

"You don't get into this business without leaving a part of yourself behind. I used to hate my scars. Every time there was a new one, it made me feel unattractive. It made me feel miserable. But it also reminded me of the pain that I went through to be the person I am today. I would never be a pilot of the Resistance had it not been for the sacrifice of my vanity." Mara hung her head lowly, but he gently lifted it back up. "Accepting your scars doesn't mean you forget what happened. That never leaves you. But they don't have to be negative either. Life has enough burdens to bear without us throwing our bodies into the mix."

Mara understood what he was saying. She wasn't sure if she were ready to tell him about her miscarriage yet, but such a scar was self-explanatory. She wouldn't need to. Showing him that simple, twisted cut would also help him to understand so much about her. Leo, her sleeping problems, and her fear of intimacy. All of it would be said without her having to utter a word.

Mara hesitantly peeled off the black shirt. She felt as if she were released from prison, her nose filling with fresh air, her mind cradling a new outlook. Her chest was entirely bare to him, her arms crossed over her breasts to hide herself from complete exposure. She watched him look at the line just above the top of her trousers. She had touched it so many times that the strange jagged parts were etched into her brain. She knew exactly what he was seeing with every blink of his lids.

"Mara, there's nothing wrong with you."

Her breath caught on the edge of a sob. It was a sentence she had been waiting for, but not just anyone could have said it.

"You're beautiful." He moved closer to her, his hands continuously tucking her dark hair away. He wasn't speaking specifically about her scars, but of her struggles. She knew that. She knew that he understood what horrors she had been through and the loss she had felt. "You don't have to hide from me," he mumbled with a kiss. "Not anymore."

They kissed longer and harder until Mara had once again sunk onto her back. Her hands had been far too eager to feel him, to trace the small drip at the end of his neck. It hadn't even crossed her mind that she had exposed herself, all of herself, to him by doing so. His fingers were so careful that she had barely taken note of them until he slid down her stomach. It sent a shiver through her that caused her to pull away briefly. Her eyes stared upwards at his face, half-expecting him to be smirking at her timidity. Instead, he looked just as inexperienced as she felt.

Before he could ask if he had done something wrong, Mara kissed him all over again. His hands moved towards her breasts, his body leaning down into hers with increasing desire. He realized how badly he wanted her. His body would have shaken had he not been propped up above her, his nerves far worse than when he was in battle. When he was in battle, there was a sense of calmness. Now he was so fearful of making a mistake that he had almost convinced himself he would do her wrong.

"Please." Mara's sigh filled his ears. Her voice had never sounded so raw, the sound of it putting his body entirely out of his control. "I-I want you to touch me."

He leaned down to stop her words with a kiss, his fingers trailing down to the top of her trousers. He hesitated when he reached her scar, his eyes glancing down at it with affection. He moved his lips down her neck, chest and stomach until he reached the spot that she had so often cursed. Planting a kiss across the width of her scar was enough to make tears spring in her eyes. After _it_ had happened, Leo barely touched her.

As he did so, his fingers expertly unhooked the button and zip of her pants. He nuzzled his head into her neck as she kicked them off, the burning of her cheeks impossible to hide even in the dim lighting.

"Don't laugh at me," she cooed.

"I would never do that." His teeth nibbled at her ear.

She turned to him, her body entirely bare with the exception of underwear. He noticed that when she turned onto her side, there was a large dip in her waist. It was the right size for him to fit his arm into, pulling her closer.

"You really did miss me." Her lips found the tip of his nose.

"I always miss you."

"I never took you for someone so emotional."

He echoed her words. "Don't laugh at me."

Mara smiled, but her eyes caught sight of his scars again. It made her wonder. "Did anyone hurt you on the base?" Her words were almost drowned by the crackling flame.

Poe hesitated. His body still felt the electric shock. It had been the worst pain of his life, but that was only physical. Upsetting Mara would be ten times worse. "Don't worry," he mumbled. "I'm okay now. I'm with you."

Mara nodded. Their lips met again, parting and breaking away with weak moans. Her fingers reached for his own trousers, the unfamiliarity with men's clothing becoming a sudden struggle. He eventually kicked them off himself, their almost bare bodies tight against one another.

Mara would have stopped there and said her goodnights. She was not exactly tired, but there was a timidity that would have normally prevented her from going further. But Poe was there. He was so warm and so present. Every muscle of his chest met against her own, and she helplessly let his hands wander. First they found her chest again, his fingers lazily massaging her skin. When he moved them downwards, she didn't force his hand away, but her body betrayed her with a shiver.

His fingers gently pulled down one side of the only piece of clothing left, sending a dizziness around her brain. Hands clutching into his hair, Mara sighed into his neck. Despite the heat of the night, his fingers were cold as they traced between her thighs. Something about his passion confused her. He was admirably delicate with his touch. She would have mistaken him to be a man who took control, but in actuality he was careful.

Poe was, in fact, somewhat fearful of the emotions boiling inside of him. Even though he was still kissing her with his eyes shut, he could picture their first meeting with instant clarity. Her doe eyes had danced away from his face, but her hands had been quick and reliant with the ships. There was a confidence and a certainty buried deep within her that only exposed itself when she was around the things she loved. Poe realized that, in that moment in the small shed on Jakku, being around him was not very different.

He let himself feel her then, the soft gasp that escaped her lips too much for him to handle. He bit her neck gently to silence his own pleasure, her body warm around his fingers. There was nothing he wanted more than to make her feel loved, at least not in that moment.

Mara's eyes flickered open as he continued to touch her. Her fingers helplessly dug into the tight muscles of his back, hoping to convey something she could not put in words.

"Mara," his words were buried behind her ear. "I want you to be happy."

She was grateful he didn't say, 'I want to make you happy.' He didn't care how it was done; he simply wanted her to smile, to feel free, to forget the past that clung to her heart like the black claw of a gargoyle. "I know," she breathed into his tan skin. "I'm happy whenever…" She struggled with her words as he continued to move inside of her. "... whenever I'm with you."

No more words came. Her entire body gave itself over to him, her chest falling against him with a shaky sigh. Embarassed by her weakness, she moved her chin into his collarbone and away from his eyes. But his hands moved around her hips to stop the slight tremors that spread across her body. It seemed there was never an end to his concern for her.

He kissed her cheek. "I found you." He moved to the other side, letting his lips rest there for another moment. "I'm so glad that I found you." She wasn't sure if he meant on Jakku, or simply in general. His lips moved around her face to leave their mark, the softness of them never failing to surprise her.

She smiled to herself. "Poe Dameron, you never lost me."

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

 **Well…? (o/o)**

 **Leave a comment and let me know what you think?**

 **x**


	5. Landing

**Hello all! I have to apologize for the delay in the update. Things have been absolutely crazy in Mistro's world, so I hope they're a bit more steady in your own. Please enjoy this chapter and don't forget to comment!**

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Mara woke up with the taste of sand in her mouth. Her fingers reacted before her eyes did, pressing themselves uncomfortably against her soft lips.

She knew it was daylight without having to open her eyes. The bright, unforgiving sun of Jakku was shifting her vision into a delicate orange. When she did finally allow her vision to come through, the time of day was not the first thing she noticed. Poe Dameron was not beside her.

Sitting up quickly, Mara began to look around. Audio senses took control as the familiar sound of a wrench flew to her ears. She stood up to the cranking of the tool, making her way to the yellow backyard.

Not far from the back shed wall was a landspeeder. Underneath its thin flat surface, Poe was working away to repair it. Mara took a few steps towards him when he finally noticed her.

"Morning, sunshine." His grin was brighter than the sand as he stood up to greet her. "You seem like you slept well."

Mara's shaky breath slipped from her lips. Her mind instantly replayed the night before: the way that he had touched her and the sweet words he had danced into her ear. It was difficult to process how normal it was beginning to feel. Her arms instantly wound themselves around his waist, her head pressing flat against his warm chest.

Poe was taken aback by the gesture. His heart had still not slowed its pace from the night before, but Mara appeared to feel the same way. "Are you alright?" He mumbled into her hair.

"I'm fine." Her eyes were closed. "I just wanted to make sure you were real."

His lips found her hairline. "I'm real, and we're getting ready to leave. Gos gave me the ship this morning."

Mara passed it a glare. "Hunk of junk."

"That hunk of junk will get us to Yavin 4."

Her hands instinctively found her hips. "You bypassed the control system to alter its hover rate?"

Poe raised a brow. His hands tossed the wrench back and forth between them. "You think I wouldn't?"

Mara crawled beneath the vehicle, her back warm against the soft ground. Her fingers turned black as soon as she began to fiddle with the wiring, her trust instincts perhaps not completely developed. "These ground transportation vehicles can be a real piece of work if you try and alter their systems. I wish Gos had something better."

Poe tapped the hood playfully. "You should be grateful that Gos had anything." He leaned down to look at her. "I did everything as you taught me, teacher. I think I deserve a reward."

Mara smiled against her will. "We're not going to be doing that."

"The hell we aren't."

Mara followed his instructions, crawling from beneath the ship and meeting his lips. She pulled away from him somewhat carefully, as if she were holding a glass vase worth more than she could ever afford. "We should get ready to leave." He understood her subtext: _Before trouble comes._

"Hop in when you're ready." He gestured dramatically. "It's not like we have many bags."

Mara climbed into the compact speeder, the tight cabin rather unfriendly for their long journey. Poe followed suit, making his way into the piloting chair without a drop of hesitation. He glanced at her to make sure this action was acceptable, to which she gave him a small nod.

"You seem nervous," she mumbled as he stared blankly the control board.

"I haven't seen my old man in a while. It will be hard to say goodbye again."

Mara thought back to Kes. She hadn't told Poe that she met his father. Something unexplainable put her off from doing so. Perhaps it was because it reminded her of what lovers did when things were getting serious, albeit meeting Kes Dameron had been somewhat of an accident. The two men's eyes were similar in their gentleness, their jaws as sharp as knives. Mara's hand reached out to Poe's thigh, where her fingers left a small squeeze. "Goodbyes are only temporary."

He flashed her a smile before punching in the coordinates. "Then yours better be as well."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Yavin 4's outline was strikingly more familiar to Mara than Coruscant. She felt her chest tighten at the idea that her parents may still be there, safe under Alok's protection. The fear that they had somehow not made it had been playing on her mind for days, but her parents were certainly safer there than Starkiller Base. It would be a difficult conversation to urge them to leave Coco Town, but after their recent shortcomings, she doubted they would refuse.

"Now you're the one being quiet." Poe's voice rang into her head. "Are you worried about your parents?"

Mara's hands began to sweat as they approached the landing strip. "It's never been something I've had to worry about."

Poe's fingers found hers. She watched as he traced the insides of them, pressing gently where her knuckles were. "It won't be something you have to worry about again."

"You don't blame yourself, do you?"

Poe wouldn't have answered even if he had the time. He was beginning to land his ship into the loading area, an assistant heading their way. But of course, the thought of regret had been on his mind since he was shoved onto Starkiller Base. Had it not been for his strong attachment to Mara, her constant image playing on loop in his mind, Kylo Ren would not have seen her face or heard her name. He would not have been able to track down her parents and put their lives in danger. He wished he could pull himself away from her for the sake of her safety, but admittedly was not brave enough to cut the ties.

"Poe-"

"Let's head out." His words were short as he began to climb to stable ground. "Your parents need to see you." Although he was clearly aiming to avoid the conversation, his hand reached out for her. She took it hesitantly, the sensation of his fingers on her body still echoing from the night before.

The two of them began to walk down the runway, their minds far away from the lush surroundings of the planet. The sky was inexplicably blue, its puffy white clouds distracting Mara from the fact that she was in a functioning war zone.

Poe's free hand was dug far into his pockets. His mind continued to swarm with waves of guilt, none of which he could express to Mara. How was he supposed to keep her safe and close at the same time? It was an anomaly that he couldn't seem to crack. The only couple that he had for influence were his parents and Leia Organa, neither of which had ended particularly well.

"Oh, Mister Dameron."

Poe heard Mara's voice before he saw the approaching pair of boots. He also felt her hand fall away. Poe snapped his head at the horizon, where his father's tall figure was standing only a few feet away.

A wide smile broke out across the older man's face. Mara's stomach twisted at how similar the two suddenly looked, although she had not thought that upon first meeting. "Well, I'll be damned. Two years without a visit and here you are on my doorstep." His smile redirected itself. "And with a girl at your hip."

Poe thought his heart was breaking, but he felt nothing but joy. "Dad," he said as he brought himself into his father's arms. Mara watched with a blush as Poe's body sunk into the chest of his father. He was only slightly shorter than Kes, but in that moment he seemed like a toddler. It made her heartbeat pound for any news of her parents.

Kes kissed the crown of his son's head. "I missed you, Poe. It's good to have you back." He tilted his chin upwards. "What's going on with your face?"

"Long story."

"We've got time." He motioned for the duo to follow. "Come back to the house and get comfortable. We can send word to General Organa that you'll be heading back to the base tomorrow, should that be her wish." He chuckled. "And it likely is."

Mara watched the pair of them walk off towards the main gate. Something kept her feet situated to the hot pavement, the image of a reunited family unable to register in her mind. "Are my parents here?" Kes Dameron turned around, his eyes squinting against the sun. "Alok Lokesh was supposed to bring them back." Tears danced at the corners of her eyes. "He said they would be here and that-"

"Come with me, Mara. Everything will be explained."

Poe snapped his head between the two. "You two know each other?"

Kes smiled. "Like I said; everything will be explained."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Poe Dameron's childhood home was smaller than Mara had expected. With their high status in the Alliance, she had had a gut feeling that their lives would be surrounded by images of luxury and wealth. This was not the case, yet somehow it seemed more fitting. Their sharply angular home was not much bigger than Mara's on Coruscant, but the lush forest life that surrounded it certainly was. She could smell citrus in the air mixed with something burning.

She noted the wide, circular open window of their living room. It opened up to a gorgeous sunset view where a powerful tree distracted Mara's attention.

"That's the tree that was planted from a Force sensitive seed." Poe whispered. "Luke Skywalker gave it to my mother, saying that it came from the heart of the Jedi Temple. Just like the one I gave you."

Mara caught her breath at the infamous name. "Have you ever…"

"Felt anything? Maybe in my imagination. Sometimes there's a tight pull towards it, but if I didn't know what sort of tree it was, I might not have felt it." He seemed sad when he shrugged. "Maybe it's my mind playing tricks on me."

Mara brushed his elbow subtly. "You don't need the Force to be a great fighter, Poe. You already are one."

"And you're a great liar." His tanned face looked fitting in the weather of Yavin 4, whereas it had looked burned on Jakku. "Why didn't you tell me that you met my father already?"

Her cheeks flushed pink. "There wasn't much time to-"

"Mara!"

Both of their heads shot up towards the doorway. It was Alok that Mara had coincidentally noticed first, despite her mother and father standing just beside him. When she caught their watery gazes, her eyes scanned them from head to toe to make sure nothing was out of order. They were safe, just as Alok had promised. Perhaps it had been his First Order uniform that made her unsure of his promise in the first place.

"Mom…" Mara rushed towards them with her arms already open, the softness of her family engulfing her in seconds. She wondered if this was what Poe had felt. Her lips found her father's cheek. "Dad… I was so worried about you two."

"About _us_?" Hari sniffed. "We saw your plane get shot down! We wanted to go back to find you, but Alok insisted that we wait. He seems to have more faith in you than we do." Hari's wrinkled hands could not release themselves from her daughter's hair. "I'm so sorry, darling."

Mara couldn't help but laugh in the midst of their happy reunion. "You have Poe to thank for that. I suppose I should have known the risk of going into a battlefield behind the clutch of a TIE fighter." Her parents glanced at Poe with wide eyes, confused as to why she spoke of him with such obvious affection.

"She's right; that was my fault. I was trying to save myself when things got out of hand." He outstretched his hand towards them, which they both hesitantly took. After all, the man had just admitted to shooting at their daughter. "My name is Poe Dameron and I'm the son of Kes and Shara Dameron. Mara and I have been working together in the Resistance for a while now and we've become…" He batted his long lashes, stuck on a word that they already knew.

"Friends," Mara finished. "Poe is Commander of the Black Squadron. He's also been training me to properly fly ships instead of hiding beneath them."

Dex looked pleased. "Oh, Mara. That's wonderful." He pumped Poe's hand a bit more strongly. "It's very nice to meet you, Commander. Your father has told us about your many accomplishments."

Hari smiled at her daughter. "And we've told him about yours."

Mara's hand rubbed at her neck. "Not much to say." Without thinking, Poe pulled her fingers away from their familiar spot. The four elders watched the gesture with raised brows, unsure of what sort of bond was truly developing between the two. Alok, however, was less blind than the others and quickly ushered everyone indoors before things became more obvious.

"I was just cooking dinner," Hari explained as she headed into the kitchen. "I hadn't intended to make it for six, but what's a bit of sacrifice when our two kids are home?" She kissed Mara on the head once more.

Poe's eyes stretched out to his wide backyard, the sound of an unfamiliar chirp slipping through the open glass door. He hadn't been home for many years. Sometimes he wasn't even sure if it was really his home anymore.

"Do you want to wash up before we eat?" Kes muttered in his ear. "Perhaps Mara would like to as well. The guest bedroom is clean." He nudged his son subtly enough for the others to miss it. "You can show her the way."

Poe's mind fluttered back to present day. He nodded and signalled for Mara to follow him. The house was warm from natural sunlight as they made their way down the corridor into a spacious bedroom. It was simple, the white bedding looking soft. Mara fell back onto it lazily. "I could get used to this."

"You won't be able to." Poe clicked the door shut. "We'll have to leave tomorrow. My father is probably sending a message to the General as we speak." His body fell beside her, his dry hands playing with the ends of her hair. He kissed a strand absent-mindedly. It was a nice habit, he thought, to be able to kiss her without a reason.

"Where's your mind at? You don't seem too thrilled to be home."

Poe stood up with a long stretch. "That's because I don't really feel as if this is my home. Of course I'm happy to see my father again, but he wasn't ever around when I was growing up." Poe crossed the room to the back window. He thought it smelled too strongly of lilacs, just like his mother had. "My parents were always on missions, and so my grandmother raised me. She died a long time ago."

"You were born two years before the Battle of Endor, right?" Mara flipped onto her stomach. "I can see how that would cause a bit of a struggle between family and duty."

Poe smiled over his shoulder. "Now you see why I've always been so hesitant."

"About what?"

Apparently she had not seen. He looked back outside, afraid to meet her gaze. "Hesitant about getting serious with someone. About starting a family."

Mara felt an invisible ' _Oh'_ slip from her lips. Raising a family of her own was not something she had thought about for several years. "Don't worry; you're not the only one who's afraid."

Poe had foolishly forgotten about the scar on her stomach. He had mulled it over as she slept the night before, wondering what circumstances she had to be in in order to lose her child. It had to be Leo's, which would explain her hostility towards his disappearance. He didn't think it was possible to dislike the man even more, but now those feelings were confirmed on the border of hate. "I'm sorry, Mara. That was selfish of me."

She shook her head. "You're never selfish."

"Now that's not entirely true, is it?" He returned to her, slowly pulling her shirt over her head. "The second I heard about your relationship with Leo, I thought I was going crazy with jealousy."

Mara laughed as he flung her shirt over the bed railing. "I suppose that's not a feeling you have very often."

Poe kissed the indent at the bottom of her neck. "I wanted you for myself."

Mara kissed his temple in return, pushing him off the bed. "You can't touch me like that here. Nobody knows about us. If they did, I have a feeling they would be very strongly opposed." Poe winced at her honesty. "So, if you were planning on taking a shower with me, you'd better rethink your next move."

Poe wanted to frown, but he couldn't help but grin at her confidence. "Alright, Miss Crescent. If those are your orders, I'm obliged to follow them."

She batted him towards the threshold. When he grabbed the handle, her lips caught his so quickly that he wasn't sure if it had even happened. "I'll be out soon," she whispered before the inevitable click of the door.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Dinner was more food than Poe and Mara had managed to eat in weeks, although their parents continued to persist about how guilty they felt eating half of it. Hari and Dex were exhausted from the joy they felt at the arrival of their daughter and therefore headed to bed early. Mara hadn't gotten the chance to talk to them about staying on Yavin 4. It would be an uncomfortable discussion better saved for the morning.

Alok also headed back to his own residence, wishing them well "until the next time he saved them". Mara felt a twinge of sadness about seeing him leave without the ability to properly express her gratitude, but she knew that it was certainly not the last time.

Kes Dameron, however, was not particularly tired. He sat in the living room with Mara and Poe, recalling old memories of his days as a pilot and fighter. She could see the wrinkles appear beside his eyes when he smiled, reminding herself that one day she would wear those marks too. She hoped she wore them as proudly as him.

"Poe was six years old when he flew Shara's RZ-1 A-wing interceptor. I told her she was insane for letting someone as scatterbrained as our son fly that thing." He sipped his cold beer with a chuckle. "It wasn't the only time I was wrong about her decisions."

"Six years old," Mara repeated with wonder. She gazed at Poe, hoping he could see the admiration in her eyes. "I think I was still eating dirt."

"Must have done you some good." Poe mimicked his father, pressing the rim of the glass to his lips. "You turned out okay."

Mara hit his knee, feeling at home after only a few sips of wine.

"I would sit in my mom's lap while she flew. She would usually pretend that it was me steering, despite her hands being wrapped around the controls."

Mara leaned back into the couch, her lips still spread in a smile. "Where is your mother? Is she away on business?"

An uncomfortable silence spread across the house. Mara knew the answer as soon as she saw their faces drop, her own heart falling along with them.

"She died when Poe was eight." Kes's words were hardly louder than the crickets outside. "It was unexpected, but we healed."

"Death is a natural part of life," Poe recited the great Master Yoda. "Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force."

Poe had always spoken about his mother in present form. There was no evidence in the way he acted that she had left him at such a young age. It made Mara stop and question how much she had spoken of her own loss, about the heartache that it had stitched into the fabric of her soul. She had never even asked Poe about his own story, unaware that someone could feel as sad as she felt every morning. Although it had been decades since Shara's passing, the darkness crossing Poe's face made Mara quite aware that he had not moved on.

"The pain of losing someone without expectation is something we can't prepare ourselves for." Mara glanced to the trees outside. "In fact, even if we _can_ see it coming, it's never something we can fully accept. The only comfort I seem to get is when people tell me that they wouldn't have wanted me to be sad. Sometimes I don't know if that's true."

Kes nodded slowly. "Wise words, Miss Crescent. We all learn to heal, don't we?" He raised his empty glass. "That's what it means to be human."

Kes did not know of Mara's own story, and so he could not understand how much his words impacted her. "Yes. We all learn to heal."

"In our own time." Poe's words were obviously for Mara. It was then that Kes could see the sharp way his son took notice of the woman sitting on the couch. He thought he saw Poe's fingers twitch in the desire to reach for her. His body was so open to her presence, so fixated on her every word, that it was impossible to dismiss it as unfamiliar. He had been that way many years ago with the one woman who would never leave his heart.

"Your old man needs some rest," Kes muttered with his mind still latched onto Shara. "Get some rest. I suspect Leia will have a lot for you to do when you return." He was heading down the hallway, but they could still hear his slurred words. "Don't stay up too late."

Poe laughed at the parental order. He didn't hesitate, however, to crawl next to Mara on the couch as soon as Kes was out of sight. He curled into the crux of her arm, eventually resting his head on her crossed legs. She looked beautiful when she glanced down at him, her hair falling around her face like a dark frame.

"What are you doing?" She mumbled. "What if someone wakes up?"

"Let them see." His fingers traced her lips. "I don't know how often I'll be able to do this when we go back."

Mara's frown deepened. "I hadn't thought about that."

"Don't think about it." He tapped the communicator on her wrist. "You know where to find me."

"6733." Mara spoke from memory.

"And as far as I recall, you _still_ don't have your own bedroom."

Mara reached for the back of her head. "Knowing the doctors, they'll keep me in the hospital ward for a couple of days. I can't imagine what a nightmare it looks like back there."

"It's pretty bad." Poe mockingly scrunched up his face. "You look like you're transforming into a Vuvrian."

Mara slapped him on the stomach. "You've gone too far!"

Poe sat up, pressing his lips to her cheek. Her eyelids flickered shut at the sudden intimate gesture, making her wonder if she would ever get used to it. He moved her chin towards him, pressing his lips against hers. His tongue broke the space between them, a heavy sigh escaping him without will.

"You really won't stay with me tonight?"

Mara's smile was sad. "I think my parents would never let me live it down."

Poe nodded, understanding her viewpoint. "If you ever feel lonely, just come and find me. I'm on the opposite side of the kitchen in the room with an X-wing sketch on the door." He pressed his fingers over her lips. "Don't laugh."

She kissed his hand before he could take it back. She loved being able to kiss him everywhere. Now she wanted to kiss him at any time. He was so good to her, perhaps too good if one had to measure it, that she had the sinking feeling he would leave her. Her parents were the only people in her life who hadn't.

"I'll laugh at you in the morning, then."


	6. Withered

**ehluvr3: I know what you mean! It's going to get a bit bumpier for their relationship after stepping back into the 'real world' ... Stay tuned to see what happens. :)**

 **SpeechBubbleMe: It's never too late to review! Thank you for taking the time to do so, and I really hope that you're enjoying the story!**

 **InfinityMars: Your OTP? I feel so honoured to have created them! ... Well, one of them. XD**

 **funwithstark: Guuuurrrrrlll we definitely do all need a Dayummmeron in our lives.**

 **Enjoy the new chapter!**

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Poe's face felt soft. For a moment he thought it wasn't even his own skin. He glanced down at the soap that was lying on the rim of his father's sink, a small chunk missing from after he had used it. He slapped a bit of colour into his cheeks, his mind wandering off to the image of BB-8 stranded in the desert somewhere. His only hope was that his droid had made it out safely.

The clock read ten, meaning that he had slept a good five hours past his normal morning routine. It would be difficult to adjust when he headed back to the base, but Poe could already feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins. If there was no action, the rogue pilot wasn't sure what life could possibly have in store.

Poe slipped on a white t-shirt that his father had left out. Truthfully, he felt like a kid again having his father dress him, despite never having his father around much. It would be hard to say goodbye, but when hadn't it been?

The four others were already waiting in the living room. Mara's parents sat with an uncomfortable cloud lingering over their heads and it was only when Poe stepped into the kitchen that he could see they had been crying. He would have asked what was wrong had it not been for the warning look Mara tossed him.

"Ready to go?" Kes asked from over a cup of coffee. It was still hot, the steam blowing into his unshaven face.

Poe rolled his shoulders back. "Not exactly."

"It's nice to hear that, but Leia's expecting you. With Kylo Ren so close on your BB unit, the fight seems to really be starting."

Hari's head shot upwards, her long hair reflective of her daughter's. Mara could see the instant regret in her mother's eyes, but her hand reached out to stop it from changing into words. "I'll be on the base. You don't need to worry about me."

"She takes good care of herself," Poe lied. They all knew it. "And if she doesn't, I'll take care of her."

Hari nodded slowly, her hands shaking in her lap. It had only been a few minutes since Mara told her parents that they were going to have to leave Coco Town. Their old lives were over, the chapter of that long book finally penned, and a new one was to begin on Yavin 4. Although there was no specific date in mind as to when the war would finish, Mara suspected that their house would no longer be there at the end of it all.

"I think we have to go." Poe glanced at his father's communicator, spotting the name 'General Organa' at the top. "They'll be waiting for us."

Mara stood, her lips meeting her parents' temples. "I love you both. Kes Dameron will help you settle here. You'll be happy and comfortable." Des was the only one who could bring himself to look at his daughter. "I know that this isn't what you wanted for your life, nor did you expect that I would have any part in the Resistance. But if I don't fight, I'll never be able to forgive myself."

"We love you," Hari sighed. "That's all that's troubling us. Of course you're brave and we would never regret that."

Poe whispered to his father so as to not overlap the more important conversation in the room. "The ship is out front?"

Kes nodded, swallowing the rest of his coffee. Poe could have sworn it was still boiling. "You should let Crescent drive this time. You slept in later than when you were eight. We can't have you falling asleep at the wheel, Poe. The poor girl's almost died twice already."

He laughed despite the gloomy atmosphere. "I'd be happy to give her the reins."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Mara _did_ steer the starfighter back to D'Qar. Although it had only been a few days, she felt as if she had not seen the lush greenery of the secret planet in half a lifetime. Poe had fallen asleep beside her as soon as they set off, his curly head rolling onto her shoulder in the small compartment.

"Poe," she whispered. "It's time to wake up." A sigh fell from his lips, forcing Mara's hand to tap his knee repeatedly. "You'd better rise and shine, because I have a feeling there's a lot of work waiting for you. Likely for me as well."

Poe snapped to attention, either by Mara's command or by the entrance into the atmosphere. Once realising how close they were to the landing base, he pulled himself closer to her side. She could feel his breath hot on her neck, the hairs on her arms raising with the intimate gesture. "What are you doing?"

He smiled against her skin. "When will I be able to kiss you again?"

Somehow the question irritated her, as if he were too afraid to be with her in public. "That's not really the priority at the moment, is it?"

Poe leaned back, unfazed, as they hit the landing strip. "Somebody's grumpy. I was going to compliment you on that nice blouse, but I'm not sure how you would take it."

Mara bit her bottom lip, trying to hide her smile. "You should have said it an hour ago."

The two of them were surrounded by friends and colleagues as soon as their ship touched ground. Mara watched from the sidelines as Poe was engulfed in the arms of mechanics and pilots alike, their happy cheers and questions blending into an incomprehensible bubble of sound. Mara got a few waves and even the occasional thumbs-up, making her keenly aware of how she had little to no friends on D'Qar. There was a lot on her to-do list.

"Mara!"

The voice was louder than all the others. It seemed that everyone stopped talking to see who took note of the simple mechanic. Of course, it was Elida that came rushing through the crowd, her pale arms strong around Mara's waist.

"Elida!" Mara gasped between her grip. "Elida, you're going to kill me!"

"I'm sorry!" The girl attempted to control herself. "My spirit got ahead of me. Are you okay? Your head is looking better, but where did you go? You smell like lavender, but you look like you just walked out of the gates of-"

Mara pressed a finger over her friend's full lips. They pursed forward in curiosity. "I think I need a drink."

Elida smiled against Mara's finger. "I'm in!"

Mara's eyes glanced upwards at a figure quickly approaching. It was the General, her expression far from ecstatic. Elida caught sight of her too, stepping behind Mara as if she were the one in trouble.

"Nice to have you back, Dameron. Your father told me everything about the mission. You can speak to L'ulo about your next task in the control room." Her eyes scanned the crowd until they landed on Mara. "I'd like to speak to you in my office, Miss Crescent. Immediately. If you don't mind."

As if they were all in school again, words froze on others' tongues. It seemed that even the air between Leia and Mara had spoiled. Whatever repercussions came for her dangerous actions, Mara knew that she had to take the blame for the second time that year.

Mara began to follow the General back to the base, but Poe's hand stopped her. "It's fine," Mara urged. "I have to go."

He let her go without an argument. Truthfully, there was little he could do. He had been so fixated on the warm gestures and welcomes from his friends that he hadn't thought about the type of punishment that would come her way. No matter how he twisted the situation, no matter what angle he viewed it from, Poe couldn't seem to spot what wrong had been done. Clearly, it was up to General Organa to decide.

The soft floors of Leia's office were far less comforting than the first time Mara had walked in. The walls suddenly felt suffocating, as if their grey hue were caving in around her. Someone could have said that she was drowning in a bat of tar and she may have believed them.

"You don't need to sit," Leia sighed. "This won't take long." Mara glanced out the wide window, wishing that she were buried somewhere amongst the tree branches. "Kes Dameron told me that you and Alok Lokesh co-piloted a mission that involved the controlling of a TIE-fighter and breaking into the most secure First Order base that we currently know of." The air tasted dry. "Is this true?"

Mara could feel the explanations flooding into her throat. She knew her words would come flying out like vomit, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. "When I went to Coco Town, Alok had found me and told me about my parents' situation. I couldn't sit there and do nothing. I had to get them and there was no time for me to request permission in that respect. I couldn't risk going back and getting you all in danger, as the First Order may have been watching me." Mara's head felt thick, as if the blood were rushing back into to her wound. "Poe had nothing to do with it. I got my parents out safely, but I only met him by chance on Jakku. He was trying to escape Starkiller Base too and happened to shoot me by mistake." Mara's eyes shut to let the tears drip down her neck. "Please," her voice shook. "Please, I didn't mean to cause anyone any trouble. _I_ was willing to die for my parents. Just me. Only me."

Leia's head cocked in utter bewilderment. The girl was too busy rubbing her dry wrist over her cheeks to notice that Leia was not scolding her. "I think you misunderstood me. I'm not angry with you." Mara's eyes were open now, but her cries told the General that she wasn't listening. It was difficult for Leia to understand the girl. It had been so long since she herself had been in her twenties, and raising her son had truly passed no later than his age of twelve. Granted, she cared for thousands of lives in the Resistance, but as to _how_ to care for another, she had never been properly trained. "I'm impressed."

"What?"

"You single-handedly, aside from Alok, made your way through a First Order base. You're not even tall enough to be a Trooper, but they believed you."

Mara's memory flickered back to the nice Trooper she had met in the hall. FN-2187. Why did she recall his name so clearly? "I had to be convincing if I was to get my parents."

"You were _brave._ You've always been brave, and we've always taken note of it. Perhaps you can be somewhat headstrong and put yourself into dangerous situations, but it seems to me that you're shying clear of those days. And what good fighter isn't a bit reckless? You've had plenty of opportunities to die in the last seventy hours or so, and I note that you've taken none of them." The mechanic's head bobbed silently in agreement. "I've been considering your request to train as a pilot, Mara. I'd very much like you to, but we do need you to stick around here for a while."

Mara's ribs were too weak to hold the pumping of her heart. "You want me to train as a pilot? Poe was already offering me some flying lessons, but I don't know if I'm quite ready to _become_ one."

"You learned how to fly a TIE-fighter within the span of a few hours."

"Not very well."

"But you did it." Leia raised a firm finger. "You did it, Mara."

She shrugged, unable to take a compliment. "Ships are all the same at the core. It gets confusing when you try to attach a personality and importance to it, when really-"

Leia laughed heartily. "You've always been a pilot; you just never figured it out." The sunlight flickered across the young woman's face, bringing a rosiness to her cheeks that Leia was sure didn't come from the warmth of the room. "I want you to get started as much as Poe does, but I have another proposition for you for the time being. We need more inspectors in the control room. It would be a full-time position and one that might go past the hours listed. What do you think?"

Mara was keenly aware that her mechanic's uniform was still sitting on Poe Dameron's bed. She had barely grown accustomed to wearing it, but it appeared that it was no longer relevant. "I would be honoured, General Organa."

"We can show you the systems starting tomorrow morning. You'll be given a new uniform once you've learned the ropes. It's not that we won't need you working with the mechanics, but at this moment you're needed in a higher position."

So many thoughts flooded in at once, Mara thought she was drowning in her own brain. "You can count on me."

"As for the pilot training..." Leia's brow rose. "I appreciate that Poe had his heart set on training you, but I think we both know the likelihood of that being possible."

Mara's eyes fell to the tips of her boots. "Who else did you have in mind?"

Leia might have smiled in that moment, but if she did, it was gone as quickly as it had come. "Your instructor will be Leo Aldhanab."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Mara had two days to mull over the fact that she would now be working intimately with her former lover. They would attempt to make ends meet once a day in the early hours of the morning, reminding her of the brief training sessions with Poe. The Resistance pilot, on the other hand, had been shipped back out on a mission almost as soon as he proved he was breathing properly. Mara was not surprised, but she felt no less prepared to miss him.

The nights that she slept alone felt longer, but she was grateful for the few hours of sleep she could manage after so many years. Having his whereabouts completely unknown to her was something she would adjust to with time, but there had not even been a minute to wave him off, let alone tell him about her big news of becoming a pilot.

Putting all of that aside, Mara had managed to haul herself out of bed to meet with Leo two days later. The sun was high, as it always was on that radiant planet, and its long sun rays were no longer warm and welcoming, but a nuisance to Mara's already sour attitude.

"Why the long face?" Mara heard Leo's voice from behind a blue X-Wing. "You must be thrilled to be working so intimately with me."

"Why you?" Mara's hands found her hips. "Of all people, why are you the one training me?"

Leo smiled, folding his arms on top of the back wing. Everything about him was the opposite of Poe. Where Leo's hair and eyes were light, Poe's held a darkness. His legs stretched much further than Dameron's, and his frame was thinner despite still being muscular.

"The General still doesn't trust me. She knows that I'm a good pilot, but can't afford to send me off on missions just yet." Leo's teeth were brighter than the sun as he grinned. "I'm not complaining now that I get to see you all the time."

Mara raised a brow, but couldn't manage a stern gaze as she squinted against the light. "Let's get one thing straight; I'm seeing Poe. Your flirting is unwanted and pointless after everything we've been through. I'd be surprised if you didn't already know that, but I think you're just twisting my leg."

"Point taken. Do you mind if I spread that gossip, by the way? I'm sure the entire camp is dying to get a solid answer to the rumours."

Mara messily tied up her hair. "I wouldn't know about that." She knew Leo would do whatever he wanted, but something told her that he would keep quiet about her relationship with Poe. Out of a lack of care or jealousy, she was unsure. "How long are we going to be training?"

"You already know the ways of a ship. I'm mostly here to make sure you're safe and understand how to keep your control." He waved his hands aimlessly. "Philosophical bullshit, mostly."

Mara laughed and then regretted it. "I guess there's not much time."

"A week," Leo sighed. "Two weeks tops. And then the pair of us can start flying these things in a real battle."

Mara's memories took her back to that fateful day. She could still feel the sharpness in her stomach. Part of her had always wondered what would have felt worse: her child dying inside of her or the process of its birth? None of that mattered anymore. "Battle," Mara repeated the word blankly. "I guess that's why we're doing all of this, isn't it?"

Leo nodded slowly. "Your mind has run off again."

"You now have the responsibility to catch it."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Leia had been keeping tabs on Mara, who had fit so perfectly into her job in the control room that the General was beginning to question the highly trained examiners on the team. Leia had also been watching Mara's progress with the X-Wings and was unsurprised with the outcome. The girl had a natural talent with ships, and her blueprints easily transferred to her mind when she was behind the control board.

Poe had come back after four long days. He had been sent off as a diplomat to inform other Alliance planets of Starkiller Base, and just what the Resistance was up against. Judging by their long-faced reactions, he was unsure if it had been the best idea to say anything.

Coming back to the base was no longer welcoming, despite Mara being there. He could feel his mind trickling into battle even when he stopped for a drink of water. The thought of death was constantly on replay in his weary mind, an unusual trait for him. However, he knew why the thoughts were suddenly appearing: Mara and his fear of leaving her.

She hadn't been in the bedroom when Poe arrived, and she wasn't anywhere near the runway. It was L'ulo who told him of her job change, making him feel all the more guilty for their present situation.

When he entered the control room, her small figure was hunched intently over a computer screen. The green glow spread across her face, making her eyes seem wider than they already were. His hands found her shoulders quickly as he walked behind her, startling her from the task at hand.

Her lips said his name somewhat loudly, but her arms around his waist were what truly caught attention of those nearby. They watched as she hugged him far more intimately than a co-worker should, the question of their feelings almost seeming like a practical joke at that point.

"I'm sorry," she gasped upon pulling away. "My head ran away with me."

Poe glanced at her computer screen. "I would ask you for a drink, but it seems that you're busy."

Mara's face twisted into something sour. "Just give me two hours… possibly three. I'll meet you in the cantina and you can tell me everything."

Poe leaned back in surprise. "Mara, you've changed your job! You have to tell _me_ everything. It's been four days and I don't even know what's going on with you."

A sharp stab dug into her chest. Was it foolish to feel that he almost seemed annoyed? "That was not my doing," she subtly defended herself. "The General asked me to be here and before I could even tell you, you had left again."

Poe glanced away. It made the dark circles beneath his eyes more prominent, and Mara realised that he was likely getting less sleep than she had been. What a strange twist of fate. "Neither of us have any control in this situation." He looked back at her, this time with a softer gaze. "I'll see you in the cantina in a couple of hours?"

Mara nodded and watched him leave, concern dripping into the shadows of her brows. His fingers ran themselves through his hair, the one action he seemed to do when he was most frustrated. She hoped, albeit her busy schedule, to be able to calm herself down and provide some comfort to him. The distance between them had grown within a measly four days, though she could not put her finger on why.

There was not much time to dwell on the thought. Her hands danced over the computer screen, adding and reviewing repairs to all of the ships coming in and out of missions. She had noticed that Jackson's squadron was heading out on an attack that very night, and it made her question how Elida was handling his disappearance as well. She promised to ask as soon as her work was done.

The hours ticked by and Mara could feel her eyelids quitting their muscular effort to stay awake. The shadows of her lashes danced on her cheeks as the room seemed to grow dimmer. As if on queue, her manager joined her.

"Mara, what are you still doing here? It's already midnight."

Mara's hands snapped from off of the keyboard, her bloodshot eyes opening in astonishment. "It's _midnight?_ " Her eyes darted around the room, shocked to see that most of the team had already packed up. Even worse than that realisation, but it had been much longer than two hours since Poe had spoken with her. "I have to go! Will you close up for me?" Without waiting for a proper answer, Mara began to run towards the bar.

Her feet flew out beneath her until she reached the doorway, which she fell upon heavily. Elida was wiping down a counter with disinterest, and Poe was nowhere in sight.

"Elida!" Mara's breath struggled to catch itself. "Have you seen Poe?"

"He had a couple of beers and then left about an hour ago," she replied. "Is everything okay?"

Mara's head shook quickly. "I've messed up. Can I meet you tomorrow for lunch?"

"Of course! Just take care of yourself. You look like hell."

Mara ran down the hallway to the pilot's familiar silver door. Despite it looking like all the others, she could pick it out of a thousand. His energy practically radiated through the thick walls. The lights were already off when she stepped inside, the quietness of the room turning her stomach. There was a small bump beneath the heavy white covers, suggesting that Poe had already given up on trying to wait for her.

Peeling off her trousers, Mara climbed into the bed. Poe's back was turned towards the door, his eyes shut in a deep sleep. He hadn't been childishly ignoring her; he was truly exhausted and had fallen asleep after the brief disappointment of her not showing up. He was old enough to know he hadn't been dumped, but he had certainly been forgotten.

"Poe…" Mara mumbled, her fingers curling around his shoulder. "Are you awake?"

Poe's lips opened in a soft sigh. If he hadn't been awake before, he was then. "How was work?"

Mara's teeth aggressively bit her lip. It was a way of punishing herself. "I got caught up and lost track of time. I know it's the worst kind of excuse to give, but I hope you know that I wouldn't lie to you."

Poe made no movement for a while, but eventually turned around to face her. His eyes were shut, and she desperately wanted to stare into them. "I trust you," he mumbled. "I'll always trust you."

Her lips met his forehead gently. It was warm and smooth, unlike their time together on Jakku. It upset her that the sand planet had marked their last passionate embrace, but she knew that more opportunities would come. Or at least, she hoped so.

"Come here." Poe's words continued to come from behind closed eyes. His arm opened up like the wing of a ship, making space for her inside his chest. Her body curled its way in, feeling much smaller than before. Poe's tight muscles pressed her chest into his, the space between their bodies invisible. "I want to do this every night."

"Me too." Mara hoped he could not detect the utter sadness in her voice. "I miss you."

Poe hugged her closer. "Don't. It will be too hard if you do."

Mara squeezed her eyelids tightly, his words triggering an unpleasant string of tears. She managed to stop them from falling. "I'll always trust you too, Poe Dameron."


	7. Absence

**HEY GUYS! So sorry for the super long delay. I was in Korea for a month for some personal reasons, and then I had exams in London when I got back! So, don't worry; that won't be a regular occurrence. Anyway, I'm ready to get started again with the adventures! Please please please leave a quick comment at the end of the chapter to let me know what you think! It helps motivate me to update faster as well ;)**

 **DWgeek2010: OMG! Thank you for pointing out that typo - so embarrassing!**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

 **-Mistro-**

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Poe was not on the base the next morning, nor the following three after that.

Mara's imagination as a child had always been vivid, but after years of thought in only black and white, her creativity seemed colourful again. She would lay in bed, feeling a true sense of coldness when he was not there. She dreamed that she was stuck in a frozen castle, her Prince made entirely of ice.

The days were moving more quickly due to the amount of work placed on everyone's shoulders, particularly for Mara as she was learning how to operate an X-Wing as well as pass them for clearing. Her hands would tremble every time she gave the OK. If a man died or got injured due to technical complications, it would be her neck that got the knife pressed to it.

On the fourth morning of Poe's absence, Mara found herself in the middle of the D'Qar woods. The trees were taller than she had remembered, since her last time being amongst them was in order to find Leo. That moment already seemed like years ago, particularly as they were together this time and aware of each other's presence.

"Remind me why I'm doing this again." Mara kicked a rough stone beneath her boot, tripping slightly forward.

Leo was several feet ahead. "You want to spend some quality time with me, don't you?" His grey shirt clung to his back with sweat, reminding Mara of distant memories of their time alone together. She swore it was the same shirt she had bunched up in her fists while they slept.

"You always were the pilot." She found herself smiling, but not for long. "I was just working behind the scenes."

"Making sure I didn't die," he finished. "Just like you're doing now."

Mara glanced at the tips of her boots. It was time for a new pair, but she once again found herself relentlessly clinging onto the past. "You're not a bad teacher."

Leo stopped in his tracks to face her. His expression said more than it needed to, and Mara had to look away to hide the flush rising to her cheeks. "That's nice of you to say." His voice was mature, as if he had aged within the span of a couple of days. "Aside from the fact that you almost crashed my X-Wing and lost part of the rear engine somewhere in these woods… I like being able to spend time with you."

Mara laughed off both the insult and compliment. "My radio cut out."

Leo smiled, whiter and brighter than Mara could recall. Why was everything so different than she remembered? "Most people think it's common sense that you don't land in the trees."

Mara was suddenly aware of how alone they were. The entire forest stretched between them and the camp; the bright leaves of the trees protected them from rays of the sun.

"Can I ask you something?" It was Leo who spoke. Mara stared at him blankly, not wanting to give a solid answer out of fear of what would come next. "What happened between us?"

Mara's chin instinctively raised. "You're an idiot if you have to ask that."

"I don't mean the accident, but afterwards. It was like those two, blissful years beforehand had never happened. You and me were entirely different people afterwards, and we didn't try to understand each other." He narrowed his eyes. "We just fell apart. I felt like I was the first ship you couldn't put back together."

Mara's fingers tapped against her thigh, ignoring her itch to touch her scar. It was a trait she had when she got anxious about the past – tracing those uncomfortably smooth bumps just past her waist. "Of course I was different, Leo. I lost a part of myself. As much as I hate to say it, I blame the situation on you. You were the one who brought those men to our house. I warned you those black market deals would have death waiting at the end, but you never listened to me."

Leo's light brows came together in the centre of his forehead. It made his skin wrinkle, reminding Mara that they weren't getting any younger. Grudges were for children, weren't they? "I lost a part of myself that day too, Mara."

Her breath sucked in instinctively. It was a sentence she had never heard from him, nor expected to hear. She had always assumed his displacement from the situation was his way of telling her he had never wanted the child – that just because it was his flesh, it was not necessarily _his_ child.

"She."

Leo's eyes weakened. Mara thought she saw light fly from out of them. "... It was a girl?"

Mara looked away, the tears breaking free through her thick lashes. There were still secrets she had kept from everyone else. "You're the only one who knows."

The conversation may have gone in a strange direction, had it not been for the crunching of leaves not far off. Leo's arm instinctively reached across Mara, but her legs instinctively moved forward. They crashed into one another uncomfortably, Mara's hands falling on his lower back to steady herself. When they both regained their composure, a figure was staring at them from amidst the trees.

"Did I come at a bad time?"

"Poe," Mara breathed. She barely had a brain to smile, let alone process the intimate situation she was in with her former lover. "You're here."

Poe's eyes darted between the two, a hesitant smile on his lips. "Thankfully."

Mara stepped away quicker than a lightning bolt. Her arms flew to Poe's neck, his soft body meeting hers with perfect ease. They were like a puzzle – one thing she and Leo had never been. "You've been gone for so long." His hair felt far softer, her fingers slipping between his curls, or was that another stretch of her growing imagination?

Poe tried not to make eye contact with Leo. "A couple D'Qar moons."

"Why are you here?" She leaned back to get a closer look at him. His wounds from Starkiller Base were starting to heal properly. He had never said what sort of torture they inflicted on him, but Mara wasn't strong enough to satisfy her curiosity. "I lost part of my engine in the woods and we're out looking for it."

Poe's hand raised as if on cue, the silver rod that Mara required at the end of it. "Leia saw your ship hurtle to the treetops and thought something worse had happened." His eyes couldn't resist looking the mechanic over, his hands wanting to do far more. Mara looked stronger within the space of a few days, her arms more taut and her eyes holding a glossier tint. If it hadn't upset him so much, he might have admitted to himself that she seemed like a new person. A healthier person, coincidentally at the time he was no longer around.

"We can fix this and get back to the base." Mara was already beginning to prepare the ship. "I want to hear everything about the missions!"

Poe's stomach churned with an untold confession, but it was not the right place to say what he knew he should have. Instead, his eyes glanced across the open forest to Leo, whose gaze was blank. Whatever they had been discussing had taken a toll on the pilot.

"Ready to get out there?"

Leo glanced upwards with confusion. "I'm sorry?"

"You start your first mission tomorrow. Leia wanted me to pass on the message."

The shock pulled him out of his former misery. "Did she say what it was?"

Poe couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm, despite the bitter taste he always held when speaking to Leo. "I'm sure it won't include taking out a TIE-fighter, but you can count on it to be diplomatic."

"Anything to help the cause; I'm more than happy to do it." His fair eyes glanced at Mara's legs sticking out from under the ship. "What about Crescent? She's not ready to fly an X-Wing yet. She knows all the ropes, her head just isn't there."

"Thank the stars for that. Things are too dangerous right now for even the trained of us."

Leo took a step closer, his voice dropping. "Let me ask you something, Dameron. You know how the game goes, and so do I. We've both been in situations where our life is on the line."

Poe smirked. "Getting awfully serious, buddy."

Leo ignored the comment. "You told me that you would protect her."

"And I will." His voice had never sounded more firm. "Nothing's changed."

"Everything's changed since you and her went to Starkiller Base." His hand lifted. "Yeah, everyone already knows about it. Kylo Ren knows who she is, and if Leia sends her out in an X-Wing, it'll be a suicide mission."

"Leia would only send her on a mission if absolutely necessary. Not to mention the fact that she has the full capacity to decide for herself." Anger was curling in his blood once again. "I'm not going to let anything to happen to her, and even if I did, she wouldn't come running back to you." Poe had to walk away if he was going to maintain his composure. He thought back to all of the times he had punched someone, but no desire to take out his anger on another seemed as strong as in that moment.

Leo couldn't hear what Poe was saying behind the thoughts flicking through his own mind. Only one thought mattered on that day, and he took it to bed with him every night afterwards.

It was a she.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The heels of Mara's palms dug into her eyes as the green numbers blinked back at her. She could feel the concerned gaze of her colleagues falling on her from left and right, reminding her that she should sleep _without_ opening her eyes.

The Blue Squadron, Jackson's squadron, was set to arrive that evening. Elida had not stopped talking about it for the past two days, her hands physically twitching to lay themselves on her lover. The two of them had developed a strong passion for one another in the short space of a few months, but Mara understood completely. These situations forced you to think about death. About what you wanted most in life. It was perfectly natural to fall for someone so quickly.

It was something Mara was beginning to think about herself.

When Poe had been gone, she found herself thinking of him in everything she did. If she showered, she imagined the droplets on her lips were his fingers. If she slept, she noted the empty space only he could fill. Eating and drinking alone was dull without his gentle laugh and suitcase-brown eyes. It was like a tick she couldn't get out of her head, and it made her chest grow a little bit warmer each time his face appeared in her mind.

And yet at the same time, her mind wrestled with his leaving. The more she thought about Poe Dameron, the more she questioned her emotions. Was it more than an adoration? Was it more than a passion?

Was she in love with him?

Mara's fingers slammed too harshly on the keyboard as the question once again rang in her mind. Her co-worker placed his hand over hers in an attempt to grab her attention. "They're only twenty minutes late, Mara. These things can take up to thirty hours. You need to sleep."

She shook her head, her ponytail swinging dramatically. "I can't. I need to make sure Jackson comes back safely so that I can tell Elida."

The man laughed. "Why wouldn't he? It wasn't _that_ kind of mission."

Mara wasn't sure why she said what came next. "These days, it's always that kind of mission."

The man bothered her no more. Mara was desperately trying to tune into the radio waves to find their location, but nothing was coming. She would occasionally latch onto X-Wing 2, but until she saw number 5, she wasn't leaving that chair. Even if Poe had been waiting for her back in the room, Mara didn't have the heart to hurt Elida.

Poe, on the other hand, wasn't in the mood to wait. The days were passing quickly, but with Mara he wanted them to go slowly. He knew that her work was important, but he chose to drop by the control room with a sense of urgency. He still hadn't told her that there was another mission that same night, and she was too swept up in her fears to consider that it might be an option.

When he entered the control room, Mara's head peaked up from the computers on the left. He could see the hunch of her back, getting worse even after a week's work. When his hands draped over her shoulders, she had hardly flinched.

"I'm sorry!" She spun in her chair to face him. "I meant to come sooner, it's just that-"

Poe tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "You don't need to explain anything. I just wanted to see you."

Mara smiled, her cheeks rising to hide some of the bags under her eyes. She still looked beautiful. "The Blue Squadron should be here any minute and then I can meet you."

His heart dropped to his fingertips. "About that. Mara, I-"

"Hey, you've got something." It was the colleague. "Check your screen! Quickly!"

Mara spun around without hesitation, her fingers latching onto the clear signal of Blue 2 via the complicated keyboard. Poe was aware of each passing minute on the clock, knowing that in only five, he would be forced to leave her again.

"Blue Squadron, do you read me?" A faint scratchiness came through. "Do you copy? Over?"

Poe would have kissed her goodbye then, but something caught his attention. The ship markings began to appear on the screen, but something was off. "Mara, how many members of the Blue Squadron went out on that mission?"

"Five." Her voice spoke without question. Her eyes were not fixated on the monitor, but rather her hands as they danced across the keyboard. "Why do you…" Her head lifted to meet his gaze, but instead caught sight of what was ahead. The Blue Squadron was entering the D'Qar atmosphere, but only three ships were arriving. "The other two will come." It felt like a lie. "Don't worry."

"Mara…" Poe's voice was laced with concern. He knew better than anyone else that if a team didn't come back all together, it was because there was no way for them to be. "Maybe you should let me do this."

Mara blinked repeatedly, as if that would change what was happening. "Where are they? They have to be here… They have to-"

Poe's hand fell on her shoulder. It was a gesture she had felt once or twice in her lifetime, always when something bad was to follow. "I think you should let me take care of this."

Mara fell back onto the seat, imagining the worst. Without even being able to comprehend what could have happened to Jackson's ship, Mara began to think about Elida. Her legs shot out beneath her, pushing back the chair she was in.

"Mara." Poe's reached out to stop her. "Don't go anywhere."

"I have to find out what's going on. If something happened to Jackson, Elida can't know." Mara's entire body was shaking, but only Poe was aware enough of her actions to notice it. She was being incredibly brave for the sake of her friend. "She can't know yet."

Poe's eyes glanced at the clock on the wall. He only had two minutes until he was to be jetting out of the atmosphere. He had to tell Mara that he would be gone, but when he turned to speak, she was already leaving the room. The air felt stiff as the sound of heavy footsteps rang in the landing base nearby. He could hear people gathering and asking questions, some of them shouting, but as to what they were saying, he was unsure.

"You alright, Mister Dameron?" It was the man beside him.

Poe's fingers stuck into his hair. "Sometimes I really don't know."

"We have to be." He nodded. "We just have to be."

The words hit Poe more than he intended them to. Although he hated to leave Mara in that position, he was in charge of leading the pilots on the base. His missions were growing increasingly important, and with the threat of the First Order coming in nearly every day, Poe understood that staying was not an option.

"Could you do me a favour?" Poe began to rummage through his pockets, pulling out a small holographic reader. "If you could give this to Mara, I would appreciate it. I won't have time to give it to her myself."

The man nodded gravely amidst the sound of sobbing coming from the hangar. "I'd be happy to."

Poe didn't look back when he left the control room. He didn't look out into the hanger base to see if it was Elida that was sobbing, and he didn't glance back to make sure Mara had control over the situation. It was a weakness, her simple image, and if he saw her heartbroken one more time, he thought about what he would give up to comfort her. For a split second, his answer was 'everything'.

Poe climbed into his ship in silence. There were no smiles, no friendly beeping of BB-8, no excited punching of the keys. The only joy he felt in that moment was that Mara might watch his hologram before she slept. If she did, she would understand the words Poe had so desperately been trying to find.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Mara's hands were sore. She had been rubbing Elida's hair for the past two hours, her shirt stained wet from the girl's tears. The bed wasn't big enough for the two of them, so they huddled close together, their legs wrapping around one another like children in a thunderstorm.

There was little Mara could say. When she had lost her child, the only thing she wanted was to know that someone was there for her. Being able to fall onto a shoulder, literally, had meant so much more to her than a paragraph of advice.

Jackson and another member of the Blue Squadron, a twenty-six year old female pilot, had died by an unexpected Trooper attack. They were on their way to a diplomatic mission on Corellia when targets locked them in. The situation also told the Resistance that Troopers had their eye on planets who supported the Resistance, leading Mara to question what the Starkiller Base weapon could truly do.

Perhaps it was better not to know.

"He loved me." It was the first sentence Elida had said in an hour. Mara had to lean in close in order not to miss her soft breath. "He said he loved me."

"Everyone knew it," Mara smiled. "He wasn't very good at hiding it."

Elida's lips were pink from her tears running across them. Mara thought she looked strangely beautiful, her eyes full and her love for Jackson shining through in her sadness. "I don't know how we could have been together, but he wanted to be with me. He wanted to marry me, Mara."

Her arms brought Elida closer to her chest. "I know that it's difficult to think about, but he would have wanted you to be happy. You have the rest of your life ahead of you."

Elida laughed, but Mara couldn't differentiate it much from a sob. "That's an awful thing to say right now."

Mara laughed. "I've never been good at advice."

Elida's lashes flickered shut, her small body curling further into itself. "For someone who used to be so distant, you're awfully good at cuddles."

Mara stared at the metal desk ahead of her. A hologram from Poe rested on top of her jacket. She wondered what messages it held, but suspected it was just another way of saying goodbye. "There was a time in my life where I needed someone. I would have taken anyone. If a stranger on the street could have held me, brushed my hair, told me that it was okay… I think I would have believed it so much sooner."

Elida stared up at her friend. "You don't need anyone else, Mara. You have to be your own guardian."

Mara thought about the words long after Elida spoke them. After all, the girl was right. Mara was the only person who would be by her side until the end of her life. She was her the ultimate best friend. If she couldn't say it to Elida, Mara knew she couldn't say it to herself either. It made her question her place within the Resistance, and what she could do with the skills she was burying so deeply within. The image of her behind the control board of an X-Wing, sending lasers at targets, thrilled her more than she had let anyone know.

Late into the night or perhaps early in the morning, Mara snuck out of bed to let Elida rest. The girl had cried herself into a deep slumber, leaving Mara a private moment to watch the hologram.

She snuck into the bathroom on light feet, her long pyjama bottoms kicking up dust. Perhaps now that Poe was gone, Mara could potentially move back in with Elida. It was a thought she did not favour, but one that was worth consideration.

Mara quietly pressed the play button, jumping back when a small, green Poe appeared in her hands. He was sitting down somewhere, his eyes struggling to gaze at the camera. She found herself inadvertently smiling, catching it in the mirror on the opposite side of the room.

"So, this is probably weird for you. It's definitely weird for me." Poe spoke as if he were reciting a monologue. Mara had to press her hand against her lips to not laugh aloud. "I wasn't sure how much time we would have today, but I wanted to send this to you, as I wouldn't be able to meet with you tonight." There was a long pause. Mara thought she had pressed a button by accident, but just as she started to search, he spoke again. "The more the days go on, the harder everything gets. Not only for the Resistance, but for me to control what's going on in my mind. I thought that not being able to see you would let me relax more. I thought that I could feel comfortable and steady with what we had, but it's been the complete opposite."

Mara's stomach dropped to the floor. It sounded as if Poe were about to cut her off, but she didn't dare to pause the tape.

"I can't stop thinking about you. You're in every decision that I make, and I don't know how to control it. If I wake up and you're sleeping, I dream about tracing the lines in your palms. I think I could die peacefully doing that. When this is all over, I want to take you somewhere. I'd go anywhere with you, Mara." His voice trickled off to the corners of his mind. "I'd follow you anywhere. That's all I wanted to say. I needed to say it, as I didn't want you to worry about us not being able to meet as often." Poe's hands trailed down his face, hiding a cheeky smile. Mara could feel her whole body ache with a longing to hold him, his smile more dangerous to her than Trooper blasters. "I should also apologise for being too pathetic to tell you this in person, but at least now you know."

Mara sat on the edge of the bathtub, watching his green figure dissolve into thin air. She pressed the small device against her lips, feeling the heat of it against her cool skin. With a gentle close of her eyelids, she finally set her heart free.

"I love you, Poe Dameron."


	8. Yesterday

**Hello all! Thank you for the nice reviews! :D I hope you like this chapter - it takes place during the battle of Takodana. :)**

 **Mistro**

 **~.~.~.~.~.~**

There were some things in the universe that could frighten even the strongest of warriors. For some it was the loss of a loved one, for others it was as simple as what lay in the dark.

For Poe Dameron, fear masked itself in silence. His life had been filled with color and noise. Jet engines, passionate Rebel rallies, his grandmother's consistent chatter, and recently Mara's abrupt laughter… there was rarely a time when he knew ultimate pause. The thought of being alone with nothing but the sound of your own breathing was a struggle to comprehend, and thus sparked fear whenever such a moment came.

Unfortunately, it was his duty to step into uncomfortable positions.

When Leia had informed him of his next mission, the last place he had expected to return to was Jakku. BB-8 was still missing, and considering he had the map to Luke Skywalker, this was a problem the Resistance could not simply ignore. Poe was also worried about his robot friend, but there had never been a pinch of doubt within him as to his safe return. Granted, it had been taking a few days longer than expected, but Poe was still hopeful that the droid would return unscatched.

Leia's faith in the BB unit was slightly less fervent. She had instructed Poe to return briefly to Jakku to attempt the tracking of his signal. They both understood the risks, but Poe was certain the First Order was no longer looking to the billowing orange waves of the sand planet.

And all of that had brought Poe back to the middle of the desert. It made him sick just thinking that his abandoned TIE-fighter was somewhere under the dunes, his short-lived friendship with FN-2187 somewhere along with it. What had he called the boy again?

 _Ah right,_ he smiled to himself. _Finn._

Poe hadn't told Mara of the torture that had been inflicted on him, nor of his strange attachment to a rogue Stormtrooper. It would be something to discuss over a beer, but he wondered when such an opportunity would present itself.

"Dameron… This is General Organa coming through. Do you copy me?"

Poe squinted against the early rays of the sun. "Loud and clear, General."

"What's the status?"

Poe glanced down at his communicator, the glare bouncing from the silver lid and straight into his eyes. "I'm not picking up anything, General. If I could be so bold to say it, I might suggest my droid has run off."

"Run off or been stolen?"

Poe flinched. "I don't have an answer to that, but if my gut is anything to go by, he's safe."

"Unfortunately your gut does not predict anything but your hunger." Leia's voice was audibly peeved, but her breath seemed to catch in her throat. "Something's happening here, Dameron. I'm going on pause. Don't turn off your communicator. Make sure you're alone."

The only thing in sight was a white sky paralleled by an orange horizon. He would be surprised if even the bugs were listening. "Is everything okay, General?"

Leia quickly tapped back into the speaker. "Dameron. How fast can you get off of Jakku?"

"In about twenty minutes," his words matched the speed of hers. "Why do you ask? What's going on?"

"We've just gotten a message through of an attack by the First Order on Takodana. I need you here to lead the squadrons into attack. It could be that the droid is there."

Poe had already been running back to his ship as soon as Leia's voice expressed a sense of hesitation. His fingers danced over the controls like a gambler's hands on cards, but he continued to keep his voice steady. "This is the first frontal attack they've made against a Resistance support planet. Get my team ready and I'll meet them on the way to Takodana."

Leia hesitated, but expressed her eventual agreement. There was something more she wanted to say, but stopped herself short. It made no difference to Poe. He would soon figure out, as he passed into the atmosphere of the lush, green planet, that the First Order had destroyed the entire Republic Capital Star System.

The war had truly started.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Mara was knocked out of her chair by a forceful shove of her companion's boot. She had been sleeping peacefully after a long night with Elida, but sleeping on the job was not cutting it. When she stared up in bewilderment at her attacker, two strong fists reached for the front of her uniform.

"What are you doing?" She shrieked, attempting to kick off her colleague.

"The entire Republic Capital Star System has been hit by the Starkiller Base. The entire X-Wing fleet is preparing to head out to Takodana where the First Order has just arrived, and you're _sleeping_?"

Mara glanced up at her screen with droopy eyes, the red dots of X-Wings beginning to appear in battle mode. She noticed the count was considerably less compared to that of yesterday's, meaning that many pilots were already on missions or had been lost alongside Jackson. Sitting up straighter, Mara checked the exact X-Wing count. They were missing a third of their pilots.

"Max, what do we do?" She turned with wide eyes. "There aren't enough pilots to take on a First Order fleet."

He began to add in separate codes linked to pilots not included in the battle squadrons. "Leia's just wired me to tap in several rookies. We won't have enough to make up an entire team, but about three more will do." His head shook with every word. "I can't believe this is all happening. I can't believe that the entire star system is gone."

Mara's brain instantly trickled somewhere it shouldn't have. Was she on the list? Without a second thought, Mara found herself running towards the hangar in search of the General.

"General Organa!" She shouted out, approaching a frazzled Leia on the edge of the garage. Leia hardly took notice of the pilot as a frustrated L'ulo continued to plead.

"General, please." L'ulo had never considered himself desperate until that moment. "We need more rookies with flying skills. If we don't have backup, there's no telling what will happen."

Leia's head shook once, her mind as far away as Naboo. "We can't take the risk."

"BB-8 may be there! He's the only hope we have in finding Luke Skywalker!"

Leia's head nodded briefly towards the mechanic as chaos ensued behind her. Pilots fiddled with their uniforms before ultimately giving up and preparing their ships first. "Mara can understand this better than you can, L'ulo. She's monitored their ships. The rookies don't even have _numbers_ yet."

"We just need one good pilot to hold the centre line… someone who can control an X-Wing… someone who understands its basic functions in order to-"

"I can do it."

Mara's voice took both of them by surprise, but not herself. If anything, she felt calm offering her name for battle. Her back was straighter than it had ever been, her eyes so large it would have been difficult to believe she was asleep only minutes before.

"Mara, don't be foolish." L'ulo looked at her with something akin to pity. "You crashed your ship in the woods only yesterday."

Mara raised a hand in defense. "That was my leader's fault. I've studied X-Wings my entire life. I think I proved that to be true on my first day at the base, against Poe Dameron, I might add." L'ulo had already turned away in frustration, but Leia's ears were still tuned. When she caught Mara's eye, the girl couldn't still her voice. "I've technically trained as an X-Wing pilot, despite not having been in battle. My aim is also acceptable, as I've been practicing with the guns." She glanced towards L'ulo. "You can back me up on that one, L'u."

The Duros shook his head. "I won't agree to this, Mara. You're not a pilot. You could put us all in danger."

"Yes, I could. But what other choice do you have?"

There was a long pause as the two stared at General Organa. Her old face seemed calmer, the wrinkles softer against her eyes. "General…" L'ulo started. "You can't seriously be considering this."

"I am considering this, L'ulo. We don't have much time and Mara has experience. She's also the only pilot that has willingly come up to offer herself for the position, unlike your trainees." There was a dangerous glare passed between them before L'ulo willingly made his way to his X-Wing. When the women were alone, the conversation became far more serious. "You know what it is that you're getting into, don't you? This is a matter of life and death. Those aren't romantic words to scare you into doing well. I mean it, Mara. This could be the end of your life, and you need to be prepared to accept that fact. Opposingly, if you risk the lives of other pilots, you'll be going to prison for war crimes." Her eyes glanced to the girl's stomach. "Your past cannot propel you into making a bad decision this time."

"I don't want to hurt myself anymore," Mara mumbled. "I merely want to help the cause that I've supported since I was a child. My skills are valuable to the team right now, and if I didn't offer them, I would never forgive myself."

Leia nodded, thinking over her words without much consideration. "They need another pilot. You can keep your balance and your aim." She reached to the side where a metal cart of helmets rested. Only a single blue one remained, and Mara knew who it used to belong to. "Make Jackson proud that you're wearing this. He'll be pleased it's been passed on to you."

Mara took the helmet, and that seemed to be the end of things. There was no going back without looking like a nuisance and quitter. It wasn't that she wanted to turn around and run, but she had to ask herself what the real reason behind her bravery was. Did it have something to do with her old acceptance of death? Did she want to take revenge on the First Order for what they did to Poe and her parents? Or perhaps had she finally grounded herself in the fact that she was part of the Resistance. She could offer them as much as the next pilot.

Flipping down the shield of her helmet, she smiled. It was certainly the last reason.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Takodana had been hit by the First Order about five minutes before the Resistance could arrive. The beautiful and peaceful planet was now a war-torn ground, but its pride still remained. Maz's Castle, an iconic watering hole, was still standing despite the fires billowing from its upper windows. The courtyard had been demolished into rubble from bombs, blasters and lasers, but it was a comfort to know that the First Order was looking for something rather than executing an attack with no purpose. It meant that BB-8 was there, somewhere, in the wreckage. Poe could sense it from a mile off, as if his droid's wiring was connected with his inner thoughts.

He had managed to meet his team at the edge of the atmosphere. The ship's fleet was perfect in number, but he could have sworn many of his men were deployed on missions. There was a likelihood that several of his pilots were rookies, but it was a time of war, and Poe could only hope the fight would propel them to do their best rather than second guess their life decision.

He had already taken roll call briefly over the headsets, leaving three more pilots on his list. "Blue Three, do you copy?"

"Copy that, Commander."

Poe recognised the voice instantly, feeling safer with Jessika at his back. "Green Commander, over?"

"I've got you, Poe." It was L'ulo, his voice calm despite flying into high speed.

The last ship to take note of was flying in the centre line. It was the ship that had belonged to Jackson, the boy that had died only yesterday. He wondered briefly who was taking his place, but could not afford the luxury of making an introduction. "Blue Four, this is Commander Poe Dameron coming in." He double tapped his headset when he got no response. "Are you hearing this, Blue Four?"

From the other side, a scratchy pause came through. After a quick cough, the pilot finally spoke. "Yes, Commander."

Poe's body instinctively twitched at the unusually lowered voice. Why did it sound worryingly familiar? He had met briefly with the rookies a week before, but none of them had sounded quite so odd. It was like an actor taking on a role unassigned to them, but he could not afford to dwell on it. His fingers clicked off the communication button, preparing for battle, but he hesitated a moment before reaching the treetops of Takodana. Like a curious cat, he privately switched his communication device on with the new pilot. "Blue Four, can I ask who is in command of this ship?"

A long silence broke out. Either the pilot was refusing to answer, or their signal was worse than he had expected.

"Blue Four, do you copy?" A seed of dread was beginning to plant in his stomach. He heard the pilot's radio click off, and perhaps with good reason. They had nearly reached Maz's castle, where the First Order ships had already lowered themselves to the ground.

"Keep just above the water line!" Poe shouted over the headset to all pilots. "We're going to take them by surprise!" He couldn't resist a grin, but noted how twisted the gesture felt in a time of war. He couldn't help it. Battles got his blood flowing, and the idea of taking out TIE fighters left and right kept him up at night. "Keep going straight at them!" He thought about the three rookies behind him. "Don't let these dogs scare you!"

"Copy that," Jessica cheered.

Snap joined in. "We're with you, Poe!"

The pilots were all hopeful and ready to fight. Only Blue Four expressed any hesitation, the ship's speed slowing slightly. Mara was behind the control board, her chest heaving as an onslaught of TIE fighters headed straight for their fleet. Without being able to properly react in time, she shot her blasters at an oncoming enemy. Within a few rounds, she struck its vertical wing, sending it flying towards the water in a puff of smoke. Her hands shook as they lifted from the guns, her mind processing the first life she had taken in battle. What was the Trooper's number? FN... she would never know. Down below, on the surface, she could see other Troopers up against various creatures of Maz's Castle. If she could have stared longer, she may have even taken note of a blue lightsaber somewhere in the midst of the smoke.

"Blue Four!" Poe Dameron was shouting into her headset. She was right in thinking that he did not know it was her, but hearing his voice in the middle of the attack was far from comforting. "Stay on my tail and watch my back, will you? I'm heading in deep and I need you behind me."

Mara's voice shook in response. "Copy that."

Poe's eyes narrowed while he took out another fighter. That made three already, but he couldn't focus on battle. Who was Blue Four? It was most certainly a woman - the pilot had just given herself away.

The two of them made their way to the opposite side of the castle, Poe's ship travelling more quickly and smoothly than Mara had ever seen. It was true that he was the greatest pilot in the galaxy, but she wondered why he trusted her at his back. Moving to the left of his ship, she sent her aim towards a duo of fighters on their left. She knew exactly where the oil tanks were at the base, sending the starfighters into a burst of red and orange flames.

Poe cheered from the headset. "Great shot, Blue Four! Keep aiming for those oil tanks!"

Mara's fingers danced over the keyboard to tighten her blasters inwards. That would give her double the amount of boost and a higher speed, considering Poe was moving forward quicker than any ship she'd ever steered. "Might I make a suggestion, Commander?" Mara's eyes were flickering down to the surface with every blast she heard, Troopers flying backwards as X-Wings replaced their aim towards solid ground.

"Have at it, kid!"

"If you make a loop around the castle dock, you'll be able to trap them into a point. You could make two or three rounds in a circle between the dock and the edge of the forest. I think you'd be able to confuse them enough to take out double than you would have, had you stayed on the coast line." Mara tried to make her voice an octave lower, but as the plan continued to formulate in her head, she could hear her true voice coming through with excitement. It seemed Poe hadn't noticed as the mission idea settled into his head.

"Great idea, rookie." He quickly turned his ship back towards the castle's courtyard where the land fighting was happening. "Where'd you get that plan from?"

Mara had intensely studied the Battle of Scarif when she was a child. The heroic actions of Jyn Erso had always been on Mara's mind before she trickled into sleep. The battlegrounds and starfighters of that fateful day were similar to Takodana's, thereby leading Mara to suspect the Rebel's methods several decades ago would prove more than useful in taking out a couple of TIE fighters.

"You could say I learned from a friend," Mara smiled over the intercom. She was partially saddened by the fact that she remained anonymous to Poe, but was inwardly full of joy that they were in this together.

"Let's hope your friend is as smart as he sounds." Poe was making his way to the front of the attack line. "Let's give it a shot!"

Poe followed each of her instructions down to the detail of his turns. Her heart twisted with his confidence in her, albeit not knowing her identity. He was a hero to so many, but modest in his faith towards others. Due to his tightly steered pathway, she could not watch his back except for on the sidelines. She shot at various Troopers below in order to help the civilians, but occasionally let her eyes dance to the sky.

Poe's moves were flawless. He took out fighters without any effort, his ship sailing upside down, sideways and straight ahead in the way she had encouraged him to. It only reinforced her idea that they were a good team, making her stomach flop with the realisation. His shout of joy came through her headset without warning, his raised fist visible from her position.

He laughed with a rush. "Now that's more like it!"

Mara noticed the various puffs of smoke coming out from the water. If she counted correctly, Poe had just taken out eight fighters in less than thirty seconds, not to mention a pile of Troopers below her that had not been there before.

"They're retreating!" L'ulo's voice came in through. "The First Order is retreating; we've scared those rats away!"

Mara's guns pointed a final blast at one of the TIE fighters, its firm frame collapsing into the water before her eyes. From her spot above the trees, she could see a hooded figure at the edge of the forest line. His body was tall and lean, his arms carrying what appeared to be a young woman. Was it true that they were scared out of battle, or was there something the Resistance didn't know? Cocking her head to the side, Mara had to wonder if the man was Kylo Ren. She had yet to see him in person, but judging by the rumours of his appearance, there was no better candidate. Her body reacted to shoot at his ship, but her hesitation lasted until their eventual departure.

"Good work, team!" Poe's voice once again cut into her subconscious. "The General has nearly arrived and has given us the order to head back."

"To the base?" Jessika's confusion echoed all of their worries. "Shouldn't we be helping Maz?"

"It's not safe here," he clarified. "Not to mention the General has some… private business to take care of." He caught sight of Han Solo on the ground, a man he only had the honour of meeting two or three times. "If BB-8 is on the ground, they'll get him back to D'Qar safely."

"Alright," Snap sighed. "Let's head back. Fantastic work today, everyone."

Poe smiled to himself, happily drumming his fingers against the shooter controls. Through his side vision he could see Blue Four coming out above the tree line, the sleek windows of the X-Wing hiding its helmeted pilot. Turning on a private signal, he tapped into her headset. "Blue Four, it's Commander Dameron. Do you copy?"

Mara coughed to regain her lower tone. "Loud and clear, Commander."

"Thanks for your help out there. I'll refer you to the General." He paused, a slight blush rising to his cheeks. "The pilot who used to steer that ship would have been proud."

Mara felt her stomach drop to the floor. Something in Poe's voice told her that he knew. He had found out her secret and didn't seem angry. There was no way of knowing if this was true unless she asked him, but perhaps there was still a chance not to upset him. Poe had wanted so much for her to be safe. If he knew she was piloting a battleship, there was no way of knowing how he would react.

"Thank you, Commander."

It was the only response she could think of. Although it was against the rules of the squadron, Mara turned off her headset for the journey back. Her heart was too loud to comprehend any words of congratulation, and so she opted for total silence. Unlike Poe, she embraced moments for reflection. It offered time for composure, calmness, and the gathering of one's breath.

And although she was overwhelmingly proud of herself, those three things were all something Mara desperately needed.


	9. Stunned

**Hello all! After a short hiatus (I moved to Korea), I am back with the next chapter! I hope you enjoy this and please please let me know what you think! Lots of action to come for those of you itching for another battle scene, haha... Expect another update soon! Lots of love to those of you still sticking around! P.S. How amazing is the new behind-the-scenes footage for The Last Jedi?! Can we just talk about that?!**

 **xoxo**

 **Mistro**

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The battle of Takodana flooded through Mara's mind while her vision was passed with nothing but black skies and the white flicker of planets stuck amongst them. She would back on D'Qar in only a few minutes, Poe at the front of her ship, and it was then that she would have to face him.

On the one hand, her stomach bubbled over with nerves. Each thought blossomed into ten worries. What if he scolds me for putting myself in danger? What if he tells me that I am not fit for such a role? On the other hand, there was a tightness in her chest that led to somewhere good. There was always a chance he could praise her, gasp at her workmanship, or even kiss her as soon as she removed her helmet. It was a girl's dream, but Mara had never fully grown up.

The brown runway danced before her eyes as their fleet sailed easily into the atmosphere. Mountain walls welcomed them, pulling them into the safe alcove of the Resistance base. Each ship was dropping down like a gift on someone's birthday: effortlessly and with a burst of cheer.

Mara's own ship trickled into place at the end of the row. She kept her helmet on whilst peering out at the others; their faces were bright with smiles of success, while others talked deeply about what was yet to come. Some eyes even fell on her ship to try and get a glimpse of the rookie who had impressed the Commander.

Mara's entire back was soaked with sweat. Whether it was leftover from the battle, or only just springing out since their arrival on D'Qar, she was unsure. Even when she lifted the glass hood of her X-Wing and climbed to the ground, the air only seemed to dampen. From down the runway, she could feel Poe's eyes on her. It might have attracted her full attention, if something hard hadn't already rolled over her foot.

Glancing down, her eyes could hardly make out the spherical bot through the orange hue of her helmet. As if an orchestra on cue, tears began to welt in her eyes. It didn't match the fear that was racing through her heart, but the sight of BB-8 was too much to ignore. She reached down to immediately grasp the droid's head and ask him questions, but after spotting Poe from only a few feet away, an urgent whisper came out instead.

"BB-8, I need you to do me a favour." The bot titled its round head. "Poe doesn't know it's me in this suit. He doesn't know that I've just piloted a ship at Takodana." Her words were faster than laser beams. "I'm begging you to not tell him. We're buddies, right? You can keep a secret." BB-8 whizzed an unsure response, but Mara was forced to brush it off. "We can talk later, but now I have to go! Don't say a word!"

Sprinting off beneath the ship, Mara began to walk in the opposite direction of the hangar. She could feel confused stares following her every footstep, but that did not slow her pace. BB-8's sudden return would distract Poe for her to get to the woods quickly. If she shrugged off her suit and came to his room later that evening, he would never have to know.

 _Why don't I want him to know?_

Something twisted in the pit of her stomach. Turning around, Mara watched to see Poe's contagious smile break out thanks to the return of his beloved droid. He looked so young; his brown eyes shimmering, his face almost clear of cuts and blood with the exception of a slice on his unshaven cheek. She could have kissed him in front of everyone. For a moment, her feet almost carried her there to do so.

She may have trickled off into the trees, had it not been for something strange. A young man, perhaps in his early twenties, seemed to spot Poe from near the entrance of the hangar. The two stared at one another with confused, but amazed glances, until finally running into each other's arms. Mara's shock appeared through the cock of her head, but it did not linger as she realized this was an opportunity to stay out of the trees.

Running down the length of the runway, as Poe kept his grip on the strange boy's shoulders, Mara passed them with a hunched run. They even ran behind her in search of the General, but her body was pressed too far in the shadows for Poe to keep his eye on. Keeping her head down, she cursed the stray curl trickling its way out of her helmet. The entrance was so close. She could already smell the engine oil.

"Crescent!"

Her feet stopped instinctively. Picking them up like a shoe stuck in glue, Mara awkwardly tried to pretend the call was not for her. Pava, who had spoken the words in the first place, did not continue to quiet her voice. Thankfully, Poe had already slipped into the control room with the newcomer.

"Mara Crescent, where are you going?" The mechanic's fists balled up with each syllable of her name. "We need to talk about your performance back there. I just looked at the feedback and your shots were almost always spot on. You can't handle the canteen food, but you can handle a blaster."

"Jessika." Mara's voice was a hushed whisper. They were just on the edge of the hangar. It was only thirty more steps until she could make her way to the hallway which would carry her to her bedroom. "Can we talk about this later? It's just that I need some time to breathe."

"No way." The pilot's grin was blinding on her tan face. "We have to talk about this over a drink. You're one of the team. I don't care what Dameron says; I'm backing you up all the way." Jessika's fingers reached to peel the helmet from Mara, but the girl forcefully backed away.

"Please, don't." Noting the confused look on Jessika's face, Mara was too desperate not to explain. "Trust me; I want a beer as much as you do, but I can't leave my position as a mechanic."

"What? Of course you can, Mara. You _have_ to after what you did at Takodana."

From the corner of her eye, she could see a bright orange suit approaching them from the side. It seemed to halt somewhat in its tracks just before making its way to the girls' sides. Shutting her eyes, the realization that hope was lost sprung upon Mara.

"Dameron. Nice to see that you're back in one piece." It seemed that the other woman had not taken notice of the absolutely frantic message Mara was trying to deliver. A heavy slap on the girl's shoulder made it clear that they were not strangers. "Talk about a rookie, eh?"

Poe's eyes glanced over the mask. It was enough to see who was behind it. "Right. Let's talk about the rookie."

Jessika was the only confused one in the trio. Slowly, as if a dog caught eating clothes, Mara peeled the helmet from her damp head. Her hair was sticking to the sides of her face, but she was sure Poe's expressionless gaze was not because he found her unattractive.

"What's going on?" Jessika's laugh tried to break the tension. "It's like you didn't know it was Crescent steering that ship." The silence allowed the thought to settle."Oh, damn. You _didn't_ know it was Crescent."

Mara's boots instinctively moved closer. "Poe, I can explain."

Jessika, an apparent therapist, stepped in. "Explain what? You have nothing to explain. You were brave to offer yourself as a pilot; it's a move every rookie should look up to."

That seemed to be the lighter that touched the string of Poe's bomb. "You offered yourself?"

"Poe, wait." Mara didn't recognize her voice. It was too frantic. "There's more to the story than what you're imagining."

Shaking his head, Poe simply did not have the words. Mara was unaware of the conversation held with Leo the day before in the woods. He had sworn to protect her, to be aware that she was a liability to herself and to make sure nothing would harm her. In his gut, he knew that Mara was also astonishingly brave, and a far better pilot than he had originally thought. But the anger washed over him like smoke above a fire. It seemed to grow and expand with each gust of wind he caught.

They were still in the hangar, Mara following the pilot's heels like a duckling. "Just let me explain. I can imagine the ideas running through your head right now, but they're not-"

"Do you think this is a game, Mara?" Poe's words flew out as quickly as he turned. All eyes were on them now. Looking away would be criminal.

Mara's eyes flared open, refusing to blink. _This?_ Her head echoed. _What does he mean by 'this'?_

"You're being unfair!" Her voice carried to the high ceiling. The silencing of wrenches and screws only helped the acoustics more. "I'm a part of this team. I'm a part of the Resistance, a place I had _before_ I met you. If I want to put my life on the line to protect innocent people, then I have the right to-"

"But you don't have the right!" Poe took a powerful step forward. She had never felt so small in his presence. "You almost got yourself killed with Terex, once more because of me, and for what?" His head was shaking as if it was all a new realization. " _I_ hardly have the right to save innocent people with the mind that I was given. If you were truly ready to steer a ship, you might have recognized that and just walked away."

Sadness and fear were melting into an uglier shade. Anger was turning the tips of her ears read. Her vision turned black until nothing in the room was visible but him. "Why are you talking like you don't even know me? You _complimented_ me! You told me that every shot was right! Everything you're saying makes it seem like you've never understood me from the beginning."

She had never told him of the child she lost. She suspected that he had put the puzzle together after their night together on Jakku, but it seemed he had forgotten. Or he cared so little about her that it was not at the forefront of his thoughts.

Poe dropped his head, a grim smile passing his face. Even in an argument, he could smile. It was the most unattractive thing about him. "You're right." Poe's lips pressed together tightly as he stared into her eyes. There was a puddle of people on each side of them, but when Poe turned to walk away, it parted like the sea. Mara was left with weary eyes on her frame, her body only seconds away from erupting. A tight grip on her upper arm took her away from the centre of the room, but her mind continued to part itself with reality.

Faces blurred as she rubbed her eyes. She could see nothing, nor did she want to hear anything if it were not an apology from the man she believed she loved.

"Just wait here." It was Jessika's voice.

Mara knew she was in one of the back wings of the control room. Beside her was a furry beast, perhaps a Wookie, but she could not heighten her curiosity enough to look at it.

A high sound rang into her left ear. It was the Wookie, but she could not understand his language. If she had a mirror to look at the pain etched on her face, it would have been clear what he was asking.

"The Wookie wants to know if you're okay." It was a female doctor, bandages in hand. Mara wasn't the only one who had gotten hurt. "Unfortunately I won't be able to translate it back to him, but he can understand you."

Mara's eyes stared at the ground below her. All she thought about was buying a new pair of boots. It was easier to waste time on such frivolous thoughts.

"The man I'm in love with does not support me." Words that hurt were nonetheless helpful to snap Mara back into reality. "He's lost his sense in anger. I don't know how I can convince him that I only followed my heart."

Neither of Mara's new companions understood what she was talking about, but as a doctor, the woman was able to comfort her nonetheless. "A man that doesn't not support you is not a man to love." Her words were simple. "There is a universe out there filled with people who want to encourage you." The smile she offered was soft. "You just have to meet them."

Mara's mind whirled with Poe's words.

 _You don't have the right._

 _You offered yourself?_

 _You have nothing to explain._

Where had such anger come from? They had not seen one another much in the past week, but if anything, her presence was supposed to bring him happiness. Seeing her after a long period of time should not have been frustrating and a nuisance, but should have simply been welcomed. If it weren't for her aching head, she might have run to him in that moment to demand an answer. And yet, Mara was tired of waiting for the man to do the right thing. For once, she was going to take care of herself.

Jessika was back at her side following a few long minutes in silence. With a raised brow, she flapped a hand at Mara. "Come with me."

The girl looked up with red eyes. "Where?"

"Does it matter? Would you rather be with me or the Wookie?"

The creature tilted his head back with a growl.

Jessika shrugged lazily. "I'm just saying."

"Alright," Mara sighed. "I'm coming."

The two girls walked in silence until Mara began to understand. On the top floor of the base was the shooting range, all lights on and not another soul in sight. Jessika slapped the head gear on Mara before she could protest.

"It doesn't seem like a good idea to be shooting when I'm this emotional."

"You're going to tell me everything that's going on while you shoot." Jessika set the gun in her hands with a thud. "You can get out all of the anger, and I won't have to hear a single word."

Mara's brows lifted. It was smart, actually. She would be able to keep her secrets without actually risking the chance for any rumours to spread. "That's awfully nice of you."

The pilot shook her head. "I'm not really good with sob stories, so I'm making it easier on the both of us."

"Fair enough."

Mara lifted the gun in her familiar position. The stance recalled memories from earlier in the day, when she had aimed her blasters straight into the First Order ships. Not only had it been repayment for what they did to Poe, but for taking her parents as well. She was glad everything with the First Order was over, but those memories were not something long lost from your mind.

With the first shoot her gun, Mara began to set her heart free. She spoke about Leo and his arrogance, how his actions put her and the ones she loved in danger. Of course, there were no explicit details with the risk of Jessika overhearing, but it felt good to get even that much off of her chest.

Next was anger towards herself. She had always wanted to be a pilot, but after putting herself on the backburner for almost thirty years, Mara wondered if it was now too late. She cursed herself for waiting, but also gave herself the motivation she needed to stick with what she was doing. After all, today was proof that she deserved it.

Lastly, Mara wanted to talk about Poe. She found no words coming with the sound of her shooting, and after a minute of hesitation, Mara simply put the gun down.

"As much as I appreciate you doing this for me, anything I have to say, I should say directly to him."

Jessika smiled. "That was the aim of my game. I knew you'd figure it out in the end."

Mara smiled with genuine appreciation. "I didn't expect you to do something so kind for me."

A finger flew to the girl's plump lips. "Don't tell anyone that I'm nice. It's my biggest secret."

Setting the gun back on the rack, Mara offered another smile to Jessika. Heading back down to the base together, Jessika silently refused the offer for a hug, leaving Mara alone once more. Eyes were no longer fixated on her, nor were their ears tuned to new gossip. Of course, life went on at the Resistance base. There were far more important things to worry about than romantic feuds, and this was something Mara hoped Poe also realized with some time to cool off. Taking a sharp breath in, she turned down the hall to meet him.

~.~.~.~.~.~

Poe was fully aware of what had just happened. His anger was peaked, but his mind was clear. Not only had he just risked a relationship with the only person he truly felt anything towards, but he had just outed them to the entire squadron. It would be a headache to deal with the General, but it would be more of a headache to deal with Mara.

There would be a council meeting later that night after Finn and Leia discussed Starkiller Base. That meant he had little over an hour to strap his brain down into concentration mode.

Seeing the former First Order soldier had been a shock, that was no doubt. The entire day was filled with surprises, including the sudden appearance of BB-8. It seemed that Finn, or FN-2187, had taken care of his droid the entire time. Poe was proud to have put his faith in the right people.

Chucking the top layer of his uniform onto the bed, Poe was too tired to remove the rest. His mind trickled back to Mara and what he had shouted to him. It was unfair what she had done, but it was more unfair to spout the words he said.

The conversation with Leo had gotten to him. Could Poe really protect her? Why did he need to, when she was entirely capable herself? There were secrets Mara held that she had not yet admitted even to him, although it was clear what those secrets were. Like a child, his shouts would now force her to talk about her past, something he had never wanted to push her to do.

Running his hand through his already disheveled hair, Poe let himself set free a cry of anger. Anger was what he was feeling, although he simply couldn't understand why.

In order to take his mind off of things, he began to head back to the main hangar. Mara would likely be gone somewhere, drug off by Jessika no doubt. She wouldn't miss a chance at gossip if she could.

Poe drug his tired body, which was full of life only moments before, down the bright corridor. If anyone acknowledged him, it was with a slap on the back. He wished they would have slapped his face to get knock some sense into him.

"Dameron." It was the General. "I see you're feeling more at ease."

He wasn't sure what she was referring to. "Did Finn tell you anything useful?"

Leia flapped a hand towards him, half with an order and half with pity. "Come with me. I'll take you to him and the three of us can discuss the next step."

"Before that, I would like to talk with you about something." Leia turned with curiosity, her commanding face sinking into something more motherly. "It has to do with Mara Crescent and her assignment to the mission."

Leia stepped a bit closer, her words too soft for curious ears to latch onto. "Mara asked for my permission to fly to Takodana. She did nothing that I didn't believe she wasn't capable of doing. If you have a problem with that decision, I'm afraid that you'll have to take it up with me."

"I wanted to thank you." The words shocked them both. "Mara never would have gotten a chance to prove herself if it weren't for you."

"Those weren't the words you said to her." Leia smirked as Poe's face became as red as his suit. "It was hard not to overhear."

"I was arrogant and angry. I felt she was putting herself in danger and I couldn't figure out the reason why."

"She's just like you, Dameron. There's a fire in her to do the right thing." Leia's eyes seemed to dance somewhere into her memories. "Mara has had a difficult past, but I can sense that she only wants to do good. She's beyond attempting to hurt herself, and part of that is thanks to you." Leia laughed suddenly, her eyes soft. "Take it from someone who has been married, but don't let them ever run off angry. They won't magically come back with a smile etched on their face."

Poe smirked. "You're right about that. Everyone with parents knows that." Poe thought about his mother. He wondered what she would tell him in that moment, but Leia's words were enough.

"If you're going to apologize, you'll have to make it fast," Leia ordered. "We have big things to talk about."


	10. Test

Poe was standing in the middle of the hangar when Mara made her way down the stairs. Her hair was still stuck to the crown of her head, but she was unsure if that was thanks to her recent gun slinging, or if it was left over from the attack on Takodana. Either option was highly probable. Regardless, spotting Poe from a distance was enough to make beads of sweat fall again. She could feel every hair on her body rising, but in some moments it felt more like fear than pleasure. She hadn't seen him in so long, and yet he was acting impatient with her. How could they overcome their differences? How could she make him see the woman she was becoming?

Almost as if on cue, Poe turned around and met her gaze. There was something hypnotic about her eyes, even from a distance. A heavy sigh fell from his lips, the physical movement of it dropping his chest from high to low in a second. Mara knew it was a sign of submission, and that Poe was giving in to the idea of talking. She stayed her ground as he crossed his way across the hangar, a few curious eyes following the invisible trail of his heavy boots.

"BB-8 is mad at me." His voice was low as he met her side.

"Rightfully so. You made me look like a fool."

"I made _myself_ look like a fool." Sadness crossed over the rare flecks of gold in his eyes. Mara quickly and quietly wrapped her fingers around his wrist, creating an experimental lock between the two of them.

"Let's talk about this somewhere else."

"There's not much time. General Organa wants me to hold a meeting and discuss what Finn knows about the First Order and Starkiller Base."

Mara's brows came together in her forehead. Who was Finn? Was he the young boy that Poe had been talking to on the runway? Not being able to pinpoint her confusion after a long morning, Poe quietly brought her towards the storage unit. There was a small room filled with spare equipment that was rarely ever touched, and a puff of dust blew towards them in greeting upon creaking open the door.

"Are you sure you aren't trying to murder me?" Mara teased.

Poe closed the door silently behind him, but only let a small smile pass his lips. As soon as they were alone in the dimly lit room, there was no other sound but their breathing.

"Mara, I'm sorry."

A tight smile passed her lips. At least she was hearing an apology from him. She couldn't exactly recall when Leo had done the same, but the two men weren't entirely comparable. " _I_ came to apologise to _you_. You wouldn't be angry with me if I had just told you what was going on in the first place. I've been meaning to train to be a pilot for quite some time." She absentmindedly began to sift through a pile of bolts on the shelf beside her. "Everything happened so quickly. One minute I was considering the possibility, the next I was inside of an X-Wing. You weren't on the base, so I couldn't warn you…"

He took a step closer. Somehow it felt like the first time they had kissed, when she had managed to catch him startled after a mission. He had kissed her completely out of the blue and had left just as quickly. The memory wasn't old, but the woman she had been at that time was certainly lost along with the moment.

"I knew what you wanted, Mara. I've always been able to recognise that you were meant for more than hiding behind an engine." His grease-stained hands lifted defensively. "Not that you weren't a great mechanic."

"I may just be the best." Her smirk matched his in wit.

Poe couldn't retreat his eyes from her dark lips. It dawned on him suddenly that her cheeks were also red. "Where have you been?"

"Shooting."

He leaned back in surprise. "Wasn't expecting that."

"Better to take my anger out on a wall than you." The dig was subtle, but Poe caught on.

"Once I knew it was you in that ship, there was the sensation that you might not ever stand across from me again." Poe scratched the back of his neck, trying to lessen the strain of emotions passing between them. "I'm constantly afraid of losing you."

Mara wanted to remind him that that was the risk of being in the Resistance. She wanted to assure him that she knew what she was doing, but how else other than to fly a ship? There were a million responses she could have chosen, but only one slipped out.

"Why?"

Poe lifted his eyes, his appearance halting her breath. "What do you mean?"

Mara closed the gap between them slightly. "Why do you care so much if I live or die?"

The answer was like a puzzle. A riddle. An enigma. It was the trickiest one to actually complete in words, but the answer was the most obvious of all.

 _Because I'm in love with you, Mara Crescent._

A knock on the door startled both of them, separating the space between them as well. The air that passed between them was suddenly cold, as if distancing themselves truly caused a change in the atmosphere.

The guest at the door was unexpected, but Mara cracked a smile nonetheless.

"Oddy! Nice to see you."

"I saw you two slip away. General Organa was asking where you were. It seems the newbie wants a word with the team in the control room." Something about the man's orange face seemed white. Everyone was dealing with something personal, but in comparison to Oddy's usual chipper behaviour, the air felt strange.

Poe was nodding too much. His mind was still fixated on Mara, and the strange sensation that he missed his only chance to tell her those silly three words. When would the chance come again?

"I'll be right there, Oddy." He glanced to the mechanic. "Are you coming?"

She shook her head almost instantly. "Quite a few of the squadrons took crucial hits to their ships. We were lucky we didn't lose any men, but if I'm not there to help, we may just lose those X-Wings for good."

Poe gave Oddy a firm pat on the back. "Then that's that." He tapped to his communicator as he slid out the door, implying that he wasn't quite finished with the mechanic yet. She smiled in response, a silent agreement that she would be waiting for his call.

It seemed that Oddy hadn't noticed the silent transaction. Mara couldn't help but feel anxious in his presence. "Is everything okay, Oddy?"

"What?" His beady eyes flickered frantically. "I-I'm sorry… I'm afraid my mind was somewhere else."

"Are you alright?"

"Y-yes, I…" His fingers nervously drummed on his pocket. There was something in it, but Mara couldn't quite make out what it was. She was smart enough to know that whatever was bothering the mechanic had to do with that item. "It's been a hectic day, that's all."

"I'm sure it was…" Mara wasn't convinced. Seeing the pilot and mechanic together startled Oddy in a way that she couldn't understand. Was it their secret that he was uncomfortable about, or something more personal?

It was like she had pulled the pin from a grenade. Oddy snapped upright with a stutter, his hands frantically reaching for the door frame. "Did you hear that? I think they're calling for us! We should make our way back and focus on the ships…" His words trailed away along with his body as he slipped down the hall.

Mara watched his uneven steps. She knew that feeling. She knew what it was like to keep a secret that was overtaking you, how it consumed your senses and made you so distant from reality that you forgot you were even living in it.

Oddy Muva had a secret, and Mara had a sinking feeling that it wasn't a happy one.

Poe, on the other hand, had his mind far from anything happening on the base. His thoughts were treading a tight line between his feelings for Mara and the porcelain construction of their relationship, alongside the growing threat of the First Order. He hoped Finn would provide some useful information in the meeting, otherwise they were going to be as lucky as a raider caught in quicksand.

Trickling inside the already busy control room, Poe caught sight of a very stern looking Temmin Snap Wexley at the front of the main control table. His friend's furrowed brows reminded him of the brief worry he had that one of his Black Squadron teammates was a spy. With Terex seemingly nowhere in sight, Poe had almost forgotten about the likely treason. Seeing Snap with his head hung in focus, Poe was positive that none of his men would have gone behind his back in the way that he believed.

And yet, no other conclusion made sense.

"You okay, Dameron?" It was Jessika, her black eyes narrowed into slits. "I had an awfully interesting day with your girlfriend."

 _She's not my girlfriend,_ Poe immediately thought. He wondered why the sentence had come to him. _At least not publicly. Yet._ "She told me that she went shooting." His smirk glowed against the blue light of the control panels. "Was that your doing?"

The pilot shrugged, her nonchalant attitude a familiar sight in the stressful situation. "That doesn't seem to matter much right now. What matters is that you two kissed and made up so we can focus on the real drama at hand."

The two joined the other generals, lieutenants and fighters around the map table, their eyes fixated on the wireframe hologram. Nothing appeared for a moment, but Poe managed to capture everyone's attention with a single raise of his hand.

"Before we begin the discussion for our next move of attack, I would like to say something." Poe's eyes scanned the room briefly until they landed on Finn, still wearing his old leather jacket. The boy seemed slightly nervous to be surrounded by a large group of people he once deemed his enemies, but not nearly as uncomfortable as he had been on Starkiller Base, surrounded by his supposed allies. "My friend Finn has abandoned the First Order. He renounced his title, profession and life, sacrificing it all to work by our side in the fight for peace and justice." A pin could be heard in the crowded room. When Poe spoke, all eyes were on him. "General Organa and I expect you to welcome him as one of our own, as he very well is that. His experience with the First Order is also vital to our understanding of their plans, and today he's going to help clear things up a little. Finn's report is that the First Order have created a superweapon called Starkiller Base. This much we were aware of, but the weapon's capacities were still hidden, even to us. Finn has also informed us that the weapon is incredibly large, far larger than many planets in the Core System, as it appears to be kept _inside_ of an ice planet." His fingers began to type away at the keys until a rolling view of the Starkiller Base surface spread out beneath them. "As we all know, the scan from Snap's reconnaissance flight confirms Finn's report."

"They've somehow created a hyper lightspeed weapon built within the planet itself." Snap's words were laced with an undertone of fear.

Major Brance could hardly believe the words. "A laser cannon?"

Snap sighed. "We're not sure how to describe a weapon of this scale."

With horror from his past memories, a fellow Major Ematt spoke out. "It's another Death Star."

"I wish that were the case, Major." Poe's eyes re-fixated themselves to the screen, where a small hologram of the Death Star appeared. "This was the Death Star." Slowly, as if a swollen bug bite, the image of the Starkiller Base grew in size beside the former Empire superweapon. It seemed to never stop, until the volume was almost quadruple that of the Death Star. " _This_ is Starkiller Base."

This was news to much of the crowd, their stunned gasps breaking the temporary silence. Poe's fingers instinctively flew to his brows, where he rubbed them with exhaustion and equal frustration. His mother and father had not risked their lives for years only to grow old and die with a second Death Star still floating in the skies. What had managed to happen since the death of Darth Vader? For Poe, it seemed as if little had changed.

Han Solo, however, was careful to interrupt the shocked conversations with a somewhat expected comment. "So, it's big! What's all the chaos for? Big doesn't always mean better."

"How is it possible to power a weapon of this size?" Ackbar ignored his old friend's chime to address the real question at hand.

Finn stepped forward, his experience finally of use. "It uses the power of the sun. As the weapon's charged, the sun is drained until it disappears."

As if on cue, an officer split through the crowd, a datacard clenched tightly in his hand. Poe's stomach dropped upon seeing it, as well as the realization that the officer's path was headed straight towards General Organa. It was not normal or customary to interrupt a meeting of such a grand size, so whatever information was locked on that datacard must have been crucial.

All was quiet as they watched the General comprehend the information. "The First Order: they're charging the weapon again. Now." Poe's hand fell from his face onto the edge of the table. It was the first time he had to physically keep himself from falling over. "Our system is the next target."

"Oh, my…" C-3PO's voice split through the hushed crowd. "Without the Republic Fleet, we're doomed."

"Okay, so how do we blow it up?" It seemed Han was growing impatient. "There's always a way to do that." The rolling of men's eyes could not have been missed by a single soul in the room. Except General Organa, it seemed.

"Han's right." Her words took not only her former lover, but everyone, by surprise.

"In order for that amount of power to be contained, the base would need some kind of thermal oscillator," Admiral Statura joined in.

"There is one!" Finn began to twist the Starkiller Base hologram until an open portal appeared. "Precinct 47. Here."

Poe could hardly hide his smile. He was careful to put his faith in others, but he was feeling a slight arrogance over the fact that he had trusted a former Stormtrooper. If that wasn't a good judge of character, he didn't think there _was_ such a thing.

"If we can destroy that oscillator, it might de-stabilize the core and cripple the weapon," Statura spoke once more.

"Maybe the planet," Ematt followed.

Poe's eyes danced up to the hexagonal structure: the Starkiller Base oscillator. Trying to boost morale, he added strength in his voice. "We'll go in there and we'll hit that oscillator with everything we've got."

The morale dwindled as Ackbar stepped in. "They have defensive shields that our ships cannot penetrate!"

"So we disable the shields," Han shrugged. "Kid, you worked there… whaddya got?"

Finn had hesitation written all over his face. Poe knew that look. He felt it when he had come home late as a kid. It was when you knew there was some truth to your lie, but you were looking to satisfy others more. "I can do it," he finally said.

Han clearly didn't recognize the strain. "I like this guy."

"I can disable the shields, but I have to be there… on the planet."

"We'll get you there."

Leia's head snapped towards Han, a look of motherly concern written in the creases of her forehead. "Han, how?"

He smiled with affection. "If I told you, you wouldn't like it."

There was something similar to Poe about Han Solo, as if the smuggler's nature were akin to his own. However, as much as his blood was pumping, Poe kept his voice low and steady. "So we disable the shields, take out the oscillator and we blow up their big gun." Chewbacca, a famous icon Poe had only heard about in stories, let out a cry of agreement. "Alright! Let's go!"

The entire room split into multiple strings of warriors. You had pilots preparing their gear, mechanics preparing the ships, and technicians waiting patiently behind desks with microphones ready to communicate. It was difficult to notice anyone in the crowd in particular, which was why Poe had not noticed Mara at the door.

Her face was as white as the moon when he finally locked eyes on her. Her fingers were gripping the door frame, her knuckles a shade between blue and white that was anything but normal. If he didn't know any better, he thought she was one clench away from ripping the wood straight from it.

"You were listening in."

Her eyes stared straight ahead, her lips the only sign of movement. "You're going to fight the First Order."

Poe's hand rested on the small of her back. "Things are picking up."

With a drop of her head, she desperately tried to hide the weakness that was slipping from her eyes. "You were furious with me about risking my life, and only an hour later are you about to do the same… but I could never blame you." She cracked a light smile. "You're the hero of the Resistance."

Poe's fingertips gave her arm a squeeze. "Earlier you were the real hero, and now the rest of us need to redeem ourselves." It was impossible not to weaken with his grin.

She nodded, one too many times. "I know that... I know that."

"I'm coming back to you," he whispered. It was softer than a feather, and for some reason her mind was lost in the image of his X-Wing on the nightstand. She would polish it until he returned, making sure that nothing changed. If all stayed the same on the base, Mara believed it would promise a safe return. She knew that was not the truth after Jackson's sudden sacrifice, but telling herself lies was better than accepting a hardset reality.

"I need to tell you something before you leave, Poe."

His attention was caught. "Shoot."

She dropped her voice. "Oddy Muva is acting very strange. And I don't just mean, 'Oh I've rolled out of the wrong side of bed' strange, but something far more unsettling."

"What are you talking about?" He let out an airy laugh, one that immediately told Mara that Poe wasn't taking her words seriously. "Oddy might have something personal going on. We'll just leave it at that for now."

"Poe, _no_. It's not like that, he's-"

"Dameron!" It was L'ulo from across the way. His blue hand anxiously urged the squadron leader to gear up, preparing for their most dangerous mission yet. It would be the first time they went up against the entire First Order fleet. There was no time for Mara to explain Oddy's strange behaviour, let alone express her continuously growing feelings. She had to tell him soon. Perhaps it would put an end to their fighting, perhaps it would bring them closer… or perhaps it would make it all the more difficult to say goodbye the next time.

"You need to go." She finally met his eyes. He seemed startled by her acceptance, but as he reached out for her, Mara pulled back slightly. "You can hug me when you return."

"Mara, don't…" Poe's eyes scanned every inch of her face. "Don't do that."

She let a tight smile slip out. "You have to use it as a promise. Promise me that you'll come back, and then you can kiss me."

Taking the back of her head in his palm, he brought his lips to her forehead. Her body stiffened with the awareness of where they were standing, the intimacy of his gesture. His lips lingered on her skin with a familiar heat, the subtle scruff of his beard reminding her of the single blissful night they had on Jakku. How could it be that a single memory felt as if it were in a different lifetime?

"I'm coming back to you." His words were private, softly whispered into her hairline. "And when I do, I want to tell you something."

Mara lifted a brow in curiosity. "What could that be, I wonder?"

As Poe reached for his helmet, he sent her another intimate smile. It was not like his grins with other members of the Resistance, but far more secretive and sincere. "I promise I'll tell you later... along with that kiss."

With a gentle wave, she sent him off. It was hard knowing that his next target was going to be someone far more dangerous than she could even dream of, but there was also an immense faith in her to trust him. She believed he would come back. And when he did, she hoped he carried the ashes of the First Order along with him.

Mara's eyes adjusted to the entire sight of the bustling hangar. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, making up for the hug that was sacrificed. Her home was now a somewhat dirty, hidden, moss-overgrown lair in the middle of a forgotten planet. It was where so much of her past was left behind, and where so much of her future laid. And with that comforting thought in mind, she took a single step forward to mark her place on the right side of history.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

 _Earlier, during the Resistance meeting…_

Mara followed Oddy Muva to the edge of the hangar where the X-Wings rested. They were not taken apart to be cleaned just yet, as there was a tension in the air that the battles were not yet over. That was at the forefront of everyone's minds, but Mara was overtaken with curiosity towards Oddy's suddenly strange attitude.

"The X-Wings need…" Oddy scratched his head absentmindedly. "Fixing. I think you'll just have to give them a check while I… While I…" His words trailed off without a proper ending.

Mara's head fell to her shoulder. The man clearly needed someone to talk to. "Oddy, are you alright? You seem a bit…" She wriggled her shoulders. "Tense."

"Tense? Me? That's probably because we have so much work to do with so little time."

Mara's nose scrunched in confusion. "But you haven't given me a proper order. Of course I can help you. Just let me know exactly what you need, and I can get it done in no time."

He said nothing in reply. Instead, he began to fix the ship with a nervous air about him. It forced Mara to recall when he began his strange demeanour. When he opened the door to the storage cupboard, Oddy seemed normal. It was only after he saw Poe and Mara, intimately together, that he began to act strange. It certainly wasn't because he felt too shy about the situation, as the two were at a comfortable distance, nor was it because Oddy harboured any secret feelings for either of them.

Turning quizzically, Mara recaptured his attention. "Oddy, are you married?"

Although the man was a bright orange hue in the face, the color seemed to disappear completely. His cheeks lost their maroon tint until it matched a shade of Hoth ice.

Oddy turned away, as if shy of his answer. His beady eyes skimmed anything around them to talk about instead, but it was a low voice from the nearby control room that caught their attention. "It sounds like things in there are getting pretty serious. Maybe you'd better see what's going on, in case Poe needs to leave again."

"Oddy, I'm not sure if I-"

"Excuse me, Mara." His voice was firm. In fact, its strength startled her somewhat. "I need to fix these X-Wings as soon as possible if they're planning on going into battle again. If you'll excuse me…" Without another word, he trickled off into the thick of metal wings. Mara was left with nothing but silence and a bushel of questions unfallen from her tongue.

She stared at Oddy carefully as his hands continued to shake. She was no longer with him, but he was still on edge. Oddy Muva truly did have a secret, and Mara was unsure why there lingered an urge to dig for answers in the pit of her stomach.

Turning her back on the scene, she felt it was best to mention things to Poe, should he truly be called away again. There had been a brief fear within the pilot that someone in the Black Squadron was secretly conveying information to the First Order, but Mara could hardly believe it was Oddy. Poe had known him for years. It was about the only person on D'Qar that Poe _could_ trust, and Mara saw that clearly when they were together. And yet, there was a risk lingering there in which she could not ignore.

Perhaps Oddy knew something he should not.

Unfortunately for him, he was a terrible liar.


	11. Resentment

**Hello all! Thank you so much for last chapter's reviews! I'm really glad to see that you guys are still enjoying the story! :) I've been trying to get any info I can about the next movie... I'm so hoping that Poe plays a bigger role this time. What do you think?**

 **Don't forget to share/comment/fav!**

 **As always...**

 **May the Force be with you.**

 **-Mistrostrings-**

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Mara tightened the band on her ponytail. Leia was standing just at the end of the runway. The ships, including Chewbacca and Han Solo, had just taken off, their landing points just outside of Starkiller Base. Tension suffocated those who remained on D'Qar, but there was nothing else to be done. Mara knew that better than anyone, which was why her attention was now fixated on the General.

Nearby, Leo trickled beside her, their words lowered as if in deep conversation. Whatever the two were speaking about, it seemed intimate, as if her faith in him had increased significantly. Something about the sight of them together made Mara's skin crawl. Leia knew about Leo's abandonment during her time of need, but it seemed that all was truly forgiven in the Resistance. Judgement was for children.

"General Organa." Mara's voice sounded less than confident. The Princess, along with Leo, turned to face her with surprise. "If you happen to have a moment, I would like to speak with you."

Leia's eyes widened in surprise, her back straightening from its former slump. She was likely worried about Han Solo. "What do you need, Mara?"

Mara could spot Oddy and the rest of the mechanics from just across the way. If anyone overheard and her assumptions were wrong, the shame it would bring would be enough cause to leave the planet. _No,_ she thought to herself. _It needs to be said in private._

"I was wondering if I could speak to you." Her eyes snapped to Leo. "Privately."

Leia's words came quickly. "Mister Aldhanab and I have much to discuss and little time to do so. Whatever you have to say can be discussed with him in the room, I suspect." It wasn't particularly a command, but Mara knew that there was no other option.

Mara nodded firmly. "Whatever suits your needs, General."

"Both of you follow me. We'll go into my office."

The trio quietly made their way past the anxious engineers with no ships to fix. Cooks, bar staff, and control operators were waiting patiently for the fleet to reach their destination. It was almost like a ghost town without the pilots, the remainders sealing their mouths in nervous anticipation.

When they finally reached the General's office, a strange sense of nostalgia washed over Mara. She recalled her first meeting with the legendary Princess and leader, her nerves far outshining the capabilities she could offer. It was thanks to Poe that she managed to secure a place with the Resistance, but those first steps would never have been taken had it not been for the very room she was standing in.

"Mara, you can begin." Leia leaned against her desk like always. The woman was always too busy to sit.

Mara had to be careful about the words she used. If she outwardly blamed Oddy, she could be punished for a false lead. Mara also believed that there was hesitation to speak his name, because she considered him a friend. If her colleague was a spy for the First Order, what did that say about the faith she put in people? How woud Poe react?

"I'm not entirely sure of the details, but I recall Poe stating after the missions with Terex that someone in the Resistance was likely feeding information to the First Order."

Leia nodded slowly. "When did he tell you this?"

"Shortly after I left the hospital."

"He was right. I suspected someone of treason, but since then, other priorities have gotten in the way. We have also had no more run-ins with Terex, and perhaps our assumptions were wrong."

Mara took a step forward, her brows creased with the short time they had to talk. "But isn't it strange that Terex just… disappeared? Why does he suddenly want nothing to do with Poe after months of chasing him? It could be that…" 'Kylo Ren' almost fell from Mara's lips, but she felt uncomfortable with her knowledge about his relationship to Leia, and instead chose against it. "It could be because Poe already had a direct encounter with the First Order. They took all the information they could get from him, presumably about BB-8. That being said, I have reason to believe that someone on our base is still in contact with Agent Terex."

Leia and Leo both stared on in silence. Mara wasn't giving much evidence. She knew that if she did, it would be too indiscreet for them to heed her warning. In fact, she almost regretted telling them, despite the firm belief that she was right in thinking that Oddy Muva had a place in the mess. Oddy fought beside Leia during times of the Rebellion. How could Mara openly blame such a trusted partner?

"What are you proposing we do?" Instead of rejecting her words, Leia was offering to listen.

"I suggest we gather as much information about Terex as we can. That's always useful to have in case we cross paths again. There could be leverage hidden somewhere in his history."

"The only thing we know is that he was a Stormtrooper and a firm advocate for the Empire's manifesto," she sighed. "I'm not sure how much more you'll be able to find than that."

"That's enough." Mara smiled. "Even knowing his Trooper number can be a huge help."

"How?" Leo scoffed, but there was something in his gaze that suggested his curiosity. "How can knowing his number be of any use?"

"I've met Terex first-hand. He's a scoundrel, a flirt, and a cheat. Men like that get attached to any form of power they can find. He's in a position right now that he likely doesn't believe fits his capabilities, and it's likely that he has an attachment to his years as a Trooper." Mara's words were picking up pace as the ideas flew around her head. She had been around many arrogant men in her lifetime, not excluding Leo and the men she encountered whilst working in the junkyards. "That number could be of value to us if we were ever trying to hack into his central systems."

Leo looked taken aback. "What ship is he flying?"

"The Carrion Strike," Leia replied. It was enough to raise eyebrows.

"Wasn't that the former ship of Tarkin?"

"Exactly," Mara pointed at him with relief. "It's another reason to believe that he still harbours sentiment for the Empire rather than the First Order. With all of those shiny new ships, why would he still be flying that old piece of junk?"

"Because it's a good ship."

"I'm not implying that it isn't."

"Then why would he want a new ship if he had one that worked?"

"Because," Mara said flatly. "The First Order isn't a band of smugglers. They have money. They have all they need to purchase and use the highest form of technology, and even technology that isn't on the market yet. They don't value every single…" She gestured towards the makeshift zipper on his jacket, constructed from an old control board button. "...hunk of metal like you."

Leia stepped between the two with her voice. "Mara's right. It's likely Terex is holding on due to sentiment and we should learn what we can about him and his crew. My question to you is - why does this help us track down the possible traitor amongst us, and what is your evidence?"

Mara raised her hands in defense. "Truthfully, I feel odd providing my evidence to you in case I'm entirely wrong. I don't want to change your perception of someone who may very well be innocent. However, I do believe that tracking down Terex and making him come to us, or vise versa, will allow us to truly see if someone is feeding him information. If we notice anything out of the ordinary, such as Terex knowing where we will be at a set location and time, then we know there's a traitor amongst us."

Leia was nodding slowly. She liked the sound of it. The third time was supposed to be a charm, right? Terex had already found them twice. Even if Terex was not particularly a concern for the Resistance, he was still part of the First Order, and his connection to one of the Resistance crew members was a major threat to them all. Mara was right in thinking the case should be brought up again, despite there being a plethora of other messes to clean up.

"Leo, I'm assigning you to the mission."

Both Mara and the former smuggler were stunned into silence.

"I'm… honored to have earned your trust, General." The look of sheer surprise was unable to be hidden from the pink in Leo's cheeks. "Will I be going alone?"

"No. You'll be escorted by Poe Dameron, when he makes his return back to D'Qar. If we were to ask any of the other Black Squadron members, there would be a risk that one of you could get hurt. They cannot know about this. Poe will be the final decider in who else joins your temporary crew."

Mara's stomach twisted over itself. Leo and Poe in the same mission? Fighting together? It was almost like a dream. No. A nightmare. She began to raise a hand in rejection and to discuss other possibilities, but Leia had already sensed her worry.

"Leo and I were discussing his efforts to officially become a pilot with the Resistance. This will be a final test for him and I feel more comfortable putting him in the hands of Dameron than anyone else." Dameron was, after all, her right-hand man. "Should anything happen, he'll handle the situation." Leia locked eyes on the slightly confused man. "Unless Mister Aldhanab has any objections to that."

"No, ma'am." Leo choked on his words. "I mean General. No, General. Thank you, General. That sounds like a very good plan to me."

Mara could feel the heat bubbling under her skin. Leo and Poe. In the same ship. On the same mission. _Partners._ She could barely hear the words trace through her head, as the nerves and slight annoyance were too overpowering. It almost seemed like Leia was trying to punish her in some way, but the General had a valid point. Poe was the only person who could keep Leo in check. He was also the best person to introduce him to the dangers of becoming a Resistance pilot.

"Mara, if you could do research on Terex, that would buy us some time to keep an eye on the fleet headed towards Starkiller Base. However, I want this mission to take action as soon as Poe lands on D'Qar. Our safety of information may depend on that." Leia's voice was not to be reckoned with. Nothing she said was a suggestion, but an order.

"Yes, General."

"Alright, then. You two know what to do." She cracked a tight smile. It was likely that her mind was firmly locked on Kylo Ren and Han Solo, their closeness now inevitable in the battle of Starkiller Base.

What would happen? Would they encounter one another? Would they come in harm's way because of the other? Mara was now forced to think of it too. Her heart longed for Poe and his safe return, but she was sadly reminded that everyone on that base had something to sacrifice.

"I'll be back with all the information I can find." Mara bowed her head in respect. "I won't let you down, General."

"Me too, General." Leo followed with a bow himself. "We won't let you down."

"That's nice to hear." The aging General smiled her beautiful, closed-lip smirk. Mara could recall it from so many books, novels and newspaper headlines. "Today, of all days, we need a little extra faith."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

There was silence in the room. Kylo Ren was sitting in his chair, the complete lack of noise half a comfort and half a warning of what was yet to come. There was no doubt in his mind that the Resistance was on their way to Starkiller Base. One of his men, a recently fallen Trooper, had logged that there was a traitor fighting on enemy lines. It was that rogue sanitation worker, FN-2187, who was the most likely candidate. Kylo Ren had seen the boy at the battle on Takodana himself, his casual and dirtied clothes a fitting apparel for someone on the garbage side of history. Literally.

Ren wasn't stupid. The boy was his enemy. He spat into a nearby tin to rid himself of the sour taste in his mouth.

"Sir." It was a Trooper behind him. Ren had almost forgotten the man was there, watching him stare deeply at the mangled mask of his fallen grandfather. "What is our next move for preparation?"

"Ready the fleet," he said with a slight turn of his head. He felt stiff beneath his own helmet. He almost wished to take it off, and not only because of the discomfort. "We should prepare all ships for battle."

"And what of the defense shields?"

"Wait," he breathed. "Just wait."

Kylo was forcefully reminded of the pilot leading the Resistance. He had seen Poe Dameron's moves in action during the Battle of Takodana, although his personal path was preoccupied in finding the BB-unit. He had managed to find a strange raider girl instead, her head filled with crisp images of the map. He would be torturing her soon, trying to get answers that he had so longed for.

 _Where is my uncle, Luke Skywalker?_

Ren had also accidentally seen images of his father, the infamous Han Solo, locked away in the girl's mind. Perhaps they were close. Perhaps she was the child Solo always wished to have… but that no longer mattered. He wouldn't be asking her any questions related to the former Rebel hero.

Thinking once again of Poe Dameron forced Kylo to think of his inopportune escape. There had been a girl in the pilot's head. Not a girl… a woman. Kylo's spine tensed with the image of her as it appeared briefly in his mind. Who knew the Rebel pilot could love? Dameron seemed like a man whose affections lasted for the span of a day, but what did Ren know? Admittedly, he was a bad judge of character. He had even misread his _own_ nature.

The more Kylo Ren dwelled on the thought of the woman, the more curious he began to grow. Who was she? Mara Crescent; he knew that much. Her parents were… nobody. She, too, was of the least importance to the universe, it had seemed. There had been minimal records. She had worked at a repair shop on Coruscant. Her parents had odd jobs, likely keeping friends in the Rebel Alliance during the time of war. Little else was known about her personally with the exception of her date of birth. She had no family of her own. No husband. No kids. Overall, she was… dull, perhaps, in the same way the girl he tortured now was dull.

So, what made them special?

Why did Poe Dameron love a mere passerby of an engineer, and why did his father hold relations with a scavenger girl?

Ren sat up straighter. "What information have we received on Mara Crescent?"

There was a moment of silence as the guard searched on his hologram pad. "Nothing else, sir. It seems that her whereabouts are unknown. There is a note that she is likely working on the Resistance base."

Kylo Ren leaned back in his chair. He was disappointed.

"Might I ask why, sir? Is there any information we were hoping for?"

Kylo Ren fiddled with the finger of his glove. His hands were bare, revealing one of the few pieces of skin he would offer his guards to see. There were few scars on his body, but he prefered to keep himself private. Putting a face with a name was not always a success story, and with his parents being the people they were, his face would be recognised around the galaxy.

"If the First Order fails their mission today, I want that Resistance pilot destroyed."

"Poe Dameron, sir? I believe that Agent Terex was on the case for-"

"Terex is a fool. If Phasma is wise, she will order his removal and ultimately his execution."

A long pause floated over the room. Kylo hoped, for the guard's sake, that he was keying the order into the system. "You would like to make Poe Dameron a priority. Is that right, sir?"

"Yes." Kylo's voice sounded unfamiliar behind the mask, even to himself. "And the best way of doing that is finding that girl." Kylo adjusted the rim of his helmet. It was time to torture the scavenger. The Resistance would likely be there soon. "That _woman_ … Mara Crescent."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

It was late. Mara could see that the clock was staring down at her with its two long, stretched eyes. The research was not going well. Time was mocking her. An hour had already passed and no new information on Terex could be found.

Title: Agent

First Name: Unknown

Last Name: Terex

Species: Human

Gender: Male

Hair: Grey

Eyes: Grey

Skin: Light

Cybernetics: Unknown brain cyborg construct

Known Occupations: Officer of the First Order Security Bureau, Stormtrooper (Galactic Civil War)

Affiliations: Galactic Empire, Imperial Military, Imperial Army, Stormtrooper Corps, Jakku Imperial Remnant, Ranc Gang, First Order, First Order Security Bureau, First Order Military

Mara leaned back in the chair with a sigh of defeat. How could the Resistance know so much, and yet know so little? It seemed they had all of the information about his titles, which gave Mara a headache by simply looking at it.

There was still so much to learn.

Mara's fingers drummed against the table. There had to be some kind of insight hidden among the long list of affiliations. Someone had to have worked directly with Terex, so much so that she could find _his_ information by looking at _theirs_.

The Ranc Gang had been a rogue group of former Empire supporters, and it was Mara's first choice in finding his Trooper number. However, he had been the only Trooper amongst them, meaning that the others were merely well-wishers of Darth Vader's creed, rather than actual operators. She bit her nail with another jolt of defeat.

If she went through the First Order information, it could take weeks or hours to find those who had worked directly with Terex. The Galactic Empire was not a terribly different story.

There was one section, however, that Mara confessed she knew little about. The Jakku Imperial Remnant. It was an old fort, if one had to summarise the mission, and select Troopers and imperial weapons were housed there. Terex would have been young at the time, perhaps in his early twenties. With the limited information she had, Mara began to screen the list of Troopers stationed on Jakku at the time.

Her eyes instinctively flicked to the clock after passing half of the list.

 _When will we hear news from the fleet?_

She couldn't lie to herself. Poe was on her mind. She missed his hands on her waist, his lips against her neck. Her eyes squeezed tight with the thought of him, as if shutting her vision off could make her forget him, for even ten minutes.

Mara continued to scan the ages of Troopers. Many of them were unrecorded or too old for someone to have been Terex's partner. She only stopped when she saw an unusual report, her eyes drawn to the miniscule electronic words.

TK-605. Deceased. Imperial Fleet. Murder of Corporal. Squadmate TK-603.

Mara's brows knitted together. A Trooper murdering his Corporal? Granted, it was the final battle of the Galactic Civil War. He had likely gotten tired of taking orders, but it seemed somewhat uncharacteristic for a Trooper.

Then again, there had been a former Trooper in their control room that very day, and one who appeared to be Poe's _friend_. He was even wearing Poe's jacket. The thought made Mara squirm. Troopers had kidnapped Poe and her parents. They were responsible for heinous crimes against innocent creatures in all parts of the universe. How could Poe trust him so well? When Mara thought back to Oddy and this 'Finn' character, she could feel knots twisting over themselves in her stomach. What if Poe's judgement wasn't as good as everyone believed?

"Am I interrupting the next great discovery in nuclear physics?"

Mara jumped at the sound of Leo's voice, but she quickly let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm researching Terex. You know that."

"Only joking." He leaned against the wall, his blue jacket too bright for the shade of his eyes. "I want you to see something."

"Can't." Her words were curt. "We're done with our little training games. Remember?"

"I remember. I miss you." He grinned with mockery. "Oh, come on, Mara. As much as you'd like to deny it, I know you."

"What does that have to do with anything?" She had already redirected her attention to the screen.

"You can't stop worrying about Dameron and the Resistance fleet." Mara's fingers halted on the keyboard. "You've been in here for ages. It doesn't take that much time to dig up some dirt on someone."

"I'm not a research analyst," she grumbled. "I'm a mechanic. Cut me some slack."

Leo didn't inch away from the door frame, but he kept his eyes fixated on her. He was grateful that his heart fluttered less than it used to, but there was still some strange burning in the sides of his ribs that would flare up for a momentary second when she blinked in his direction. "You're distracted by your own thoughts, Mara. You need a break. Just come with me."

She finally twisted in her chair, her body completely open to him. "What could you possibly want that's _so_ important that it disrupts my valuable work for the Resistance?"

He said nothing. Instead, he trickled out of the doorway and into the hangar. It was a silent demand rather than an invitation. She had nothing but the light of the screen to comfort her, and it wasn't until she looked away that she was aware of the true ache behind her eyes. Lowering her head in hidden dejection, she followed Leo out into the light of day.

"This better be good," she moaned.

"When isn't it?" He called out, walking backwards to smile at her.

It didn't take long for Mara to notice. Up ahead, at the end of the runway, was a _huge_ junker ship. The ship was often used by smugglers, most familiarly, Leo.

"How did you…" Mara was at a loss for words.

"Brought it here a while back, but it needed some repairs. I didn't want you to see it right away." Leo was grinning like a child on Christmas, as if he had picked out the perfect present and was now given the chance after several months, to finally deliver it. "It looks just like it used to when we drove it, doesn't it? It's cleaned up so well. Miraculously well, actually…"

Mara's fingertips couldn't even reach the door. They would need to lower the ramp for that, but she was still overtaken with emotion. "You didn't need my help to fix this?"

"I didn't want to wear you down with old memories. I could tell how much it would end up bothering you, should you accidentally bump into this beast in the warehouse."

Mara nodded in agreement. "You've got that right."

"I got Oddy and some other team members to work on it. Leia gave us the mission for a smuggler ship, so I thought there was no better ship in the galaxy to fly in."

The ship was towering; it blocked out the sun from the right angle. It's red and silver sides were like the angry eyes of a monster, which was why the two of them had aptly named it, 'The Beast'. This was years ago, and Mara's memory of the fantastic ship, perhaps her favorite one to fly after an X-Wing, had almost slipped away.

"It's magnificent, Leo," she confessed. "I have to hand it to you; you really outdid yourself."

He leaned against one of the ship props. "Should I have considered a job in mechanics?"

"You would have killed everyone on board," Mara laughed. "Just try not to get Poe and yourself killed if this is what you're using for the next mission… I want The Beast back here in one piece too."

Leo let out a sweet laugh. Mara couldn't remember when she had last seemed him so happy. It was true that the loss of their daughter had torn through him like a knife. Just like her, he needed some time to stitch himself up. "The three of us will come back, sweet and sound."

"It's 'safe and sound'."

"Sweet is better than safe." Leo winked, triggering her to fake a gag.

"I'm going back to work," she sighed with a stretch. The sunshine felt good on her bare arms. "If you have any spectacular news to tell me, just wait until I'm done."

Mara began to trickle away, but Leo's voice caught her in her tracks once again. "But I thought you already found it."

Her boots squeaked on the pavement as she turned. "Found what?"

"His Trooper number."

Narrowing her eyes, she tried to recall how Leo could possibly have that information. "What are you talking about?"

"I saw it on your screen." His voice was so nonchalant, Mara halfway believed him. "You had two numbers up. TK-605, who was deceased. That guy killed a Corporal, right?" Mara couldn't remember when she had listened to Leo with such intention. "I remember someone saying that Terex was sort of a suck-up to some other Trooper. Followed him around everywhere because he gave up on his 'Empirical Dream'." He shrugged. "Seems to fit the bill perfectly. And it said he had a squadmate…" Leo snapped his fingers with a struggle to recall the number. "TK-6… 07…?"

"TK-603..." Mara's voice hummed over the air. It seemed that the birds had stopped chirping, as if the name itself was enough to halt all precious sound. She repeated herself, the number sending a long shiver down her spine. "TK-603."


	12. Unravel

**Hey guys! So, this is the chapter of the (almost) final scene of the film... It makes you realize how little Poe is in the movie, doesn't it? Let's hope that changes in The Last Jedi! Much love and THANKS (as always) for your comments/reviews/FACEBOOK likes!**

- **Mistro-**

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Poe couldn't see anything from outside of the atmosphere of Starkiller Base. He could picture it though, and it wasn't pretty. He could visualize the same 'eye' that had destroyed an entire planetary system with loyalties to the Resistance. This battle would invite the biggest and most dangerous mission yet, but there was something in the pit of Poe's stomach that reminded him it was only the beginning.

The image of Kylo Ren standing at the centre of the planet, his hooded robe sweeping far past his ankles and the gaze of his lifeless mask, brought back memories of Poe's own torture. Poe's neck twisted with the distant feeling of Kylo's fingers inside his mind. He swore that there had been a physical sensation tugging at his brain, pulling the memories straight from him. Hux had known about Mara's existence, but after Kylo saw her face and found her parents, he knew all hope for her safety was lost.

It was part of the reason Poe had been so angry about her sneaking behind his back to participate in the battle of Takodana. What if Ren had spotted her? What if she put herself in harm's way on the next mission, the First Order having a direct demand that she be captured on sight? The idea wasn't so ridiculous. And yet, Poe couldn't tell her this. There was guilt suffocating him, blocking the words straight from his throat.

 _I was the one that put you in danger, Mara._ _I_ _wasn't strong enough._

Poe lifted up his helmet to wipe the beads of sweat from his brow. On the surface of Starkiller Base, Chewbacca, Finn and Han Solo had likely landed to set out on their private mission. It wouldn't be long now until the battle began.

Sacrifices would be made.

For a selfish moment, Poe hoped it wouldn't be him.

The vast view of the planet was somewhat frightening. Poe wasn't scared of too many things, but he confessed that the sheer size of Starkiller Base was enough to halt even the largest of ships in their tracks. The main port was over ten miles in diameter, at least. There were millions of panels, reflecting a wave of brilliant reflections… but it didn't take long for a tesla coil light of energy, the power of the sun, to travel down into the centre of the port.

"Pay attention," Poe said over the intercom to his fleet. "We need to keep an eye on how long this energy is being sucked up, or our base and millions of lives are going to be wiped out. We've got about fifteen minutes before we reach our demise."

There was a moment of hesitation from the other pilots. Finally, Snap's voice swam into his ears. "Way to keep things light-hearted, Commander."

"It can't always be fun and games, can it?" Poe sighed. "Today we're all soldiers. Our focus has to be fixed."

"Roger that," Jessika responded, her voice far quieter than usual.

"The weapon will be charged in fifteen minutes." Poe's fingers danced across the keyboard, his ship preparing itself for battle. Poe had a love and hate relationship with the ships he steered. At some points, he felt as if they were out of his control. It was like the hunk of metal had a mind of its own. There was a passion involved in war, when you were strongly fixated on doing the right thing, but there was always a risk. Blood, death, ship wreckage, and the possible demolition of planets was constantly something to consider when getting involved.

That was what Poe signed up for: a life of constant confliction.

"Finn and Han Solo have to be inside by now," Poe mumbled to nobody in particular. For the first time since the war had started, he didn't know what to expect. "Come on, Finn. You've got this, kid." His fingers drummed along the dashboard. There was nothing he could do now but wait.

At the Resistance Base, the remaining crew were waiting anxiously at their consoles. Things were in a state of urgency, as fleet reports were flooding in. Mara was staring with unblinking eyes at the 'ALERT' status, lit up in an unforgiving red above the control boards.

"General! Their shields are down." The call came from an officer across the room.

Mara shot off of the door frame, her arms unraveling from her waist. She had been too busy researching Terex to grab a seat at the console and was forced to wait until her help was needed. The case about Oddy would unfortunately have to wait.

"Thank the Maker!" C-3PO cried out in the midst of the chaos.

"Han did it," Leia sighed with relief. "Send them in!"

Admiral Statura briefly glanced at Mara, who was inching closer to the control screen that held Poe's status report. He stepped out of the way, in order for her to see more clearly. The pilot and mechanic's relationship was impossible to hide, particularly after their public showdown.

"Give Poe full authorization to attack," Statura ordered.

Rear Admiral Gulch tapped into Poe's headset. "Black leader, go to sub-lights." There was an intensity within the room as he gave his final command. "On your call."

"You okay?" The voice was soft and comforting at Mara's side. Without a second thought, Mara reached out for Leo's hand, her small fingers wrapping around his rough ones.

Mara knew she didn't have to respond. It was a question he already knew the answer to. She couldn't bear to see the ships engaging in their battle modes. She could barely even focus on the sound of Poe's voice on the intercom.

"Roger, base. Red squad, blue squad… take my lead."

Mara could picture Poe in her mind's eye. He would be up in the black net of space, surrounded by bright lights of faraway planets, suns, and stars. His ship would glisten against the hue of darkness, its orange stripes the only thing differentiating it from the emptiness of the galaxies. He would be sitting with a still demeanor, his helmet fastened safely. His fingers would be calm as they tapped various keys and flicked numerous switches.

Mara's vision of Poe wasn't far off. Up in the atmosphere above Starkiller Base, Poe listened to the following orders of his command.

Nien Nunb translated in his native tongue, followed by the comment of Yolo Ziff. "Dropping out of lightspeed."

"Get ready to enter the atmosphere," Poe spoke to his squadmates as well as the Resistance headquarters. In only a short while, they would be zapping into the outer regions of Starkiller Base. Their appearance would spark an all-out battle, and Poe hoped to the stars that it would be the one that finished the enemy's super weapon for the last time. Hoping that Mara could hear, Poe coughed into the headset twice. "All's well up here. Atmosphere good. Spirits are high."

A few eyes in the control room flickered towards Mara. Her hand slipped away from Leo's to lock down on the keys before her. If she didn't say anything now, she may never get a second chance. Frantically tapping into his private headset, Mara managed to lock onto his signal before they were sent into lightspeed.

"Poe?" Mara's voice shook with the sound of his name on her lips. "Poe, it's Mara… I need to tell you something-"

"Mara?" Poe was obviously shaken by her sudden message. "Mara, I can't talk. We don't have-"

"Poe, I love you." Mara's words were lost over the sound of her own heartbeat. "I love you. I've loved you longer than I even realized. You deserve to know, and I-I can't…" The words were unable to stop falling from her lips. She suddenly felt as if she could breathe again, that all of her nightmares were a thing of the past. That one, simple confession, changed her entire outlook. Her arms felt strong. Her head was held high. She believed in him. All those times he had told her, 'Just trust me, Mara Crescent' boiled down to this very moment. Realizing that he was always with her, she was finally trusting herself. "I'll always trust you, Poe Dameron."

Leo was staring with open eyes from just a few feet off. He was the only one who seemed to have noticed that Poe's radio was disconnected before Mara had let loose any romantic phrases. The pilot hadn't heard a single thing. Part of Leo's heart was urging him to tell her, but judging by the mechanic's face as she searched the screen for an answer, she already knew the message was lost.

Only moments ago, she had been holding Leo's hand. Now it was clear that he had lost her forever.

Leo wasn't going to walk away this time. Even if Mara could no longer be his partner, he still felt a sense of protection. She deserved happiness, and Leo wasn't willing to sacrifice that over a petty feud between him and Poe Dameron. "You still okay?"

Mara's eyes closed, the shadow of her long lashes trickling like tears down her cheeks. "I'm okay." She turned to him with a smile, her eyes absent from sorrow. "Thank you for asking."

Leo cracked a tight smile. "I just want you to be happy, Mar."

"I am." Her voice was small. "I am happy."

From the other side of space, Poe's signal turned off as his ship propelled into lightspeed. He hadn't heard what Mara was going to say, but the sound of her voice was enough to give him strength. His ship appeared at the edge of Starkiller Base like a bullet from a hidden gun, attracting the attention of the enemy.

The ships weren't slowing their speed. The entire Resistance fleet had their blasters aimed at the oscillator, thanks to Finn, Han Solo, and Chewbacca. He hoped the trio was alright, but his mind was fixated on just how close they were to finishing what appeared to be a very large mess. He didn't even dare to look at the time.

"Almost in range!" Poe shouted to his squadron. "Hit the target dead center, as many runs as we can get!"

Snap was moving in. "I'm approaching target."

Nien Nunb followed suite.

It was clear to Poe that the First Order would also be launching their squadrons, which perhaps outnumbered the force of Resistance. Talent over number was, however, not in the enemy's favour. Poe's heart tightened when he imagined Mara in a ship behind him, her voice over his headset announcing her first line of attack. It was too realistic not to be true, and he hoped that one day it would become a reality. Even if it meant putting her in danger, it was the type of danger she had signed up for. He understood that now.

"Let's light it up!" Poe screamed over the intercom. Alarms from the planet, the sound of blasters, and the sheer force of multiple squadrons ripping through the sky was enough to drown his already powerful voice. The X-Wings were dive bombing into the oscillator, hitting it dead centre in quick succession.

Lieutenant Bastian cheered with victory. "Direct hit!"

"But no damage," Ello Asty followed.

"We've got to keep hitting it," Poe ordered. "Another bombing run! Remember - when that sun is gone, that weapon will be ready to fire! But as long as there's light, we've got a chance." Poe was starting to feel hopeful with the sound of his own voice, but the beeping from his droid locked in the back of his X-Wing caught his attention too soon. Poe followed BB-8's orders to take note of the First Order fleet approaching them. There were _dozens_ of fighters, a brief flicker of fear slamming into the edges of his stomach. "Guys… we've got a lot of company!"

From inside the control room on D'Qar, Mara was unable to make sense of exactly what was happening. She bit the ends of her nails in anticipation, the movement of each X-Wing like a tightly wound knot that she could not pluck undone. "Come on, Poe." She whispered to herself. "You can do this." The more she repeated the words, the safer she felt.

The X-Wings already had a new direction. They were in a dogfight with the Fighters, their path now inching closer to the surface of the snowy planet. Ships were screaming at one another, rolling past with their blasters aimed, no thought given about the life that lay behind the glass. Poe, taken aback by the sheer number of enemy ships, had barely seen the TIE Fighter approaching him on his side. With a quick move of his grips, Poe just managed to avoid a collision with the passing ship.

"Don't do this, Poe." The pilot cursed his own actions through clenched teeth. "Don't bring your sympathy into this mess."

"I've got one behind me," Snap said over the intercom. "Can you see it?"

"Yeah!" Jess cried. "I'm on it!"

Despite her confidence, a heavy cannon emplacement launched an unexpected missile, shredding a familiar X-Wing fighter to pieces.

"Furillo's been hit!" Jess's uncomfortable words were stated more as facts than to illicit an emotional response.

That would come afterwards, as it always did.

"Watch out for ground fire!" Snap called after her.

The X-Wings were roaring across the sky, blasting and dodging the Fighters and missiles with extreme precision. Poe knew that they had already lost half of their men and women. The attack was more brutal than expected, but inwardly, it was not a complete surprise. He could feel himself growing tense with the death toll rising, but he had reminded himself for too many years that this was the price, so as to not lose control during battle.

From inside the Resistance Base, a frantic technician turned to Leia. "General… are you seeing this? Two more X-Wings are down. That's half of our fleet destroyed."

Mara's stomach dropped to the floor. Her eyes were too afraid to lock onto the screen. If Poe's number wasn't there, if his station wasn't marked, she wasn't sure what she would do.

"He's still out there, Mara." Leo's voice gave her comfort for the second time that day. She felt his hand on the back of her hair, brushing it once with a singular pet. "Take a breath. We talked about this being the hardest part, but you've gotten much stronger since then."

Mara's eyes cracked open. She knew many of the names now written in red. It made her blood boil. She wanted to kill Troopers. She wanted to tear loved ones away from Terex. She wanted to torture Kylo Ren, just as he had done to Poe. There was not a drop of sentiment in her heart for the enemies, and each X-Wing they brought to the surface of their planet sedimented that feeling in her heart forever.

"Their weapon will be fully charged in ten minutes," C-3PO reminded the already uncomfortable base. "It would take a miracle to save us now."

Mara rolled her eyes. "You should be a poet."

"You suspect so?" His gold head cocked with curiosity. "I was thinking more along the lines of-"

"Stop talking, Threepio." Leia ordered with an equally large roll of her eyes. "Keep reporting."

The droid turned to Leia. "General, I believe Han Solo has run into Kylo Ren. Would you like me to tap into his audio?"

Leia looked more nervous than the entire room put together. Mara wondered just how many people knew about her family secret, but she suspected it was more than enough, judging by their expressions and the celebrity status of the Princess. "Do it," she commanded.

Foggily, as the signal was too hard to read perfectly, a calm voice flooded over their headsets. Several mechanics kept their eyes peeled on the X-Wings, taking note of battle moves. But those with curious minds could hardly ignore the family ordeal about to unravel itself.

"That's what Snoke wants you to believe." It was Han. "But it's not true. My son is alive."

Mara could practically imagine Kylo flaring up at the words.

"No," the voice came through. The words were more gentle, almost soft, due to his lack of a helmet. "The Supreme Leader is wise."

"Snoke is using you for your power. When he gets what he wants, he'll crush you. You know it's true."

There was no immediate response. Perhaps the boy did know.

"It's too late."

Mara stood up straighter. There was something locked in the Ren's voice. It was oddly familiar... a sensation she could relate to. There was longing. There was sadness. An infinite array of it. Kylo Ren was a monster, but he was plucked away from the love of a family due to manipulation and a lack of self will. He was a foolish boy, and an even more foolish man, but Mara understood what pain and regret sounded like.

And somehow, the boy was full of it.

"No, it's not," Han urged. "Leave here with me. Come home. We miss you."

There was yet again a second of hesitation. Leia's fingers were at her mouth, a flicker of hope in her eyes that her only child was truly still there, alive within the monster.

"I'm being torn apart…" The words rang over the base's intercom. It brought more emotion to Mara than she could fathom. Somehow, tears began to spring into her eyes, not out of total sympathy, but also out of fear. She knew firsthand what those powerful emotions could do to someone. It could make you reckless. Han Solo and the others were truly in danger. "I want to be free of this pain. I know what I have to do, but I don't know if I have the strength to do it."

Mara searched Leo's face frantically. "What is he talking about?"

The pilot, for once, seemed unsure. "I can't tell."

"Will you help me?" Kylo's voice was reduced to that of a boy's. He was Ben Solo, if only for a split second.

"Yes," Han begged. "Anything."

There was a painfully long silence. Mara was unable to tell what was going on, as did the other crew mates. Leia, however, was painfully still. She lost her strong demeanour. She was a wife and a mother now, no longer a General or Princess to her people.

There was a strange noise from the other side of the intercom. Han spoke no words, but a fuzzy, humming sound flooded their ears. Sighing, as if relieved of a life-long pain, Kylo Ren spoke again. "Thank you."

There were no more words from Han's intercom. In fact, it seemed to fade away into nothingness as the headsets were replaced with updates from the squadron.

Mara was momentarily confused by the conversation until puzzle pieces began to latch themselves together in her head. "No…" She whispered, her wide eyes glancing up at Leo. His eyes were fixated somewhere else, however. Leia, sitting in her chair, appeared to have given up. A look of white devastation crossed her face, enhancing the blue and purple of her veins. There was nobody to comfort her, as her family had now entirely been torn away. Her brother had abandoned her. Her son was devoured by a hideous demon of the heart. And now, her lover was dead. Mara's first instinct was to reach out, but Leo held her back.

"You have to take control of her board. She won't stop you. She trusts you." Leo's face was etched with pain.

"Leo, I-I can't-"

"You know what it's like to lose your family. Show Leia that strength. It's what she needs right now."

Mara nodded with uncertainty. The image of Han Solo being killed, by a saber no doubt, was enough to remind Mara of the world she had plunged her way into. Her uncertain nod began to grow more confident as she made her way across the room and into the seat beside her General.

"Don't worry, Leia." The name fell easily from her lips, an undeniable bond breaking through barriers of status. "I've got you covered."

The General seemed almost shocked by the confidence of the girl, who, only moments before was confessing her love to the Commander of the Resistance fleet. Although Leia's eyes were filled with unfallen tears, Mara tossed her a weak smile.

 _We're going to win this thing,_ she said with nothing but her stare. _We're going to win it... for Han._

"The oscillator has been damaged, but it is still functional." Ackbar broke through the silence.

Officer Zo kept his eye on the clock. "Their weapon will fire in two minutes."

From in the sky, the X-Wings were also taking note of their time. They were unaware of the ordeal with Han Solo and Kylo Ren, but nobody would be alive to care if they didn't destroy the oscillator for good.

"We just lost R-1," a pilot spoke to the squadron.

"We're overwhelmed," Jess confessed. "What do we do? It isn't working!"

Yolo Ziff glanced down at the surface, his eyes blurred from various lights of blasters. However, he was able to see a small puff a smoke coming from the oscillator, allowing an opening. "Black Leader... there's a brand new hole in that oscillator! Looks like our friends got in!"

Finn had done it. Poe's smile grew from ear to ear with the realization that his trust had not gone to waste. "Red Four!" He shouted with pride. Even with the increased possibility of their win, Poe felt his enthusiasm surge. "Red Six! Cover us!"

"I'm on it!" Bastian shouted.

"Roger!" The other pilots agreed.

"Everybody else," Poe said with a switch of his intercom. "Hit the target hard! Give it everything you've got!"

The X-Wings began to dive in towards the oscillator, soaring through the trench that led to the structure.

"I need help here! I need some help!" Poe shouted as the enemy fleet approached. For a brief second, he saw Mara's brown hair flicker through his mind, its long waves moving in slow motion with the turning of her head. Her eyes were always curious in his imagination. "Not now, Poe." He mumbled with annoyance to himself. "You're making it home tonight."

"I'm coming in," Bastian said as back-up.

"Watch out!" The scream came from Jess, but it was too late. Asty's ship was already blasting into pieces.

"All teams - I'm going in!" Poe was tired of seeing his men die, and with the last requirement getting closer, he knew that only a few ships were needed. In fact… only one ship. "Pull up and cover me!"

"Copy that, Black Leader!"

"Good luck, Poe!"

Poe watched as the trailing X-Wings peeled off behind him, the shades of their wings covering his back as he headed straight into the fiery breach. The sun was nearly gone, the weapon's charge almost complete. Poe could feel every bead of sweat dripping down his neck and back. There was only one chance to dent the First Order's power. If he did this, he could not only save the lives of millions, but return home to Mara. The two words, Mara and home, matched together well in his head. Her unfinished words over his headset drowned his curiosities, forcing him to push through with the attack at hand.

Poe's X-Wing weaved through the breach effortlessly. It was fairly large in terms of his ship fitting, but he had to know exactly when to strike. There was a TIE fighter ahead, blocking his quick path towards the opening, forcing Poe to fire volley after volley of torpedoes.

The remaining X-Wings moved closer to the oscillator before Poe could manage to, their blasters hitting the opening created by Finn and Chewbacca. They fired without hesitation, powerful rays hissing through the air like a dying scream.

"You did it!" Poe cried with a raise of his fist. He cheered in victory, matching the sound of his squadron mates. The moment was short-lived, however, as the planet literally began to crack in two with the power of the sun's energy breaking free. His mind was forced to think of his friends on the planet, their fates far less fortunate. "We're not leaving here without the others!" Poe cried. "Scan the grounds near the sanitation entrance for a sign of them!"

There were no words of disobedience. Each of them had lost someone special that day, and the lives of three others were too much to sacrifice. It was the type of thought a First Order member could never fathom.

The Resistance ships began their search as the planet continued to crack. It was like an egg, the fragile ecosystem falling away along with any sign of the First Order. Poe shook inside his ship as his eyes danced across the frozen surface, as if the chilly atmosphere could pierce through the glass and straight into his bones.

There was an open patch of land with no trees near the Starkiller base, and Poe knew it was his best option to find Finn. An odd color from the surface below shown up at him, the familiar glare of a lightsaber, blue in all its glory, asking for help.

"All teams!" Poe cried. "I've got eyes on them! Come my way!"

A pair of X-Wings picked up the survivors. Poe was in charge of leading the fleet back to D'Qar, and he was unable to see if his friends had survived. It would be a happy reunion on D'Qar, if there was a reunion at all.

"I've got them, Captain. Chewbacca led us there." Jessika spoke over the intercom. "We've got the Falcon to pick them up and we're bringing them back to the base."

"All of them?" Poe shouted above the roar of his engine.

Jessika hesitated. "All of them. Now let's get out of here."

"Our job's done here," Poe signaled. "Let's go home!"

Poe willingly chose to ignore the trepidation in his partner's answer. Instead, he led the fleet at lightspeed before any TIE Fighter ships could track their location. The remaining pilots were slicing through space like a knife, their ships just barely hanging on. Poe smirked to himself when he thought of all the work Mara would have to do when they came back, but was happy to think that he would be right beside her.

There was an eagerness in him to turn his radio back on, to tap directly into her communicator and ask for an explanation. Of course, it had to wait. There were too many lost ships behind him, succumbing to the unfortunate fate of the beautiful ice planet. Poe's stomach twisted with the thought of lost wildlife as well, the nature of First Order super weapons a complete enigma to him. Not only did they kill with their laser powered by the sun, but they literally sucked the life out of a planet in order to do so. Their danger knew no bounds.

"You alright, Snap?" Poe tapped in directly to his friend.

"As best as I can," he sighed. "I've still got my woman beside me. Can't complain when you're that lucky."

"Yeah," Poe mumbled. He was forced to think of his frozen words on the hologram he had given to Mara. _I love you, Mara Crescent. I love you, I love you, I love you…_ "Yeah, you're right," Poe laughed sadly. "Can't complain, can we?"

"Not a bit. See you back at the base, buddy." Snap tapped off his intercom.

Poe could hardly wait to hold her. He wanted to see Mara's saucer eyes shrink with a smile, to feel her warm breath on his ears as she planted sweet kisses along the edge of them. His heart was overflowing with happiness and gratitude towards his fallen comrades, their lives sacrificed for a deed they would never know.

Although the first battle of the war had truly begun, Poe knew that it also marked an end.

For a while, anyway.


	13. Salvation

**Wow... it's been a very long time. With the release of the new movie, there's been some new interest in this story, so I hope you guys are looking forward to the new chapters! Admittedly, I wasn't motivated to continue this story with so much academic work, alongside a drop in comments. I was convinced nobody out there was reading it, and therefore I have to admit that I was no longer inspired. I had the story all locked up in my head, so I didn't want to take the time to write it out if nobody was there to take it in.**

 **That being said, I was wrong. I'm sorry that I made you wait for the update, and I sincerely hope you guys enjoy this next one. Because I was to be able to update frequently, but am a final year MA student at University, I've decided to just update shorter chapters more often. I hope this style is OK with you guys. It's about half of the normal chapter that I write, but if you prefer this way over waiting a long time for a long chapter, then we can keep it. :)**

 **Thanks again x May the Force be with You x**

 **Mistro**

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Hari Crescent winced when she touched the rim of the pan.

"Be careful," her husband noted. "It's hot."

The housewife rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the early warning."

Dex Crescent crossed the kitchen to leave a kiss on his wife's smooth cheek, her blush always unable to hide itself. "Sorry, darling. Don't rush anything. Kes won't be here for another hour."

Hari tied the strings of her apron more taut. "Yes, but he's done so much for us. He helped us find this house, got you that job at the base, let us stay with him…" She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Not to mention all that Poe has done for our little girl."

Dex nodded in agreement. "That's right."

"The least I can do is cook him a good meal."

"Which you _have_ done." He wrapped his arms around her stomach, pulling her into his chest. It was a long time since they had felt so safe. Perhaps the first time since Mara's incident. "Don't worry about setting the table. I'll take care of it; you can rest in the bedroom."

Hari turned in her husband's arms. She stared up at him with pupils big enough to fill her eyes. It was the most similar feature she shared with their daughter. "Dex, I'm worried."

"About what?"

"About what happened on that First Order… weapon planet," she sighed. "About Hosnian Prime being destroyed. About Mara being a part of all this." It was a fear they both shared, but one they rarely spoke about. What was there to say? There was nothing productive about worrying. "I'm worried that when the Troopers found us, they tracked her information. What is she's in danger?"

"If Mara was in any danger now, she's in the safest place she could be."

"She should come _home_." Hari looked away. The suggestion was impossible. "She can live here with us."

Dex pulled her closer. "I don't think she'll take kindly to that suggestion."

"Of course she won't," Hari sighed in defeat. "She's too stubborn… Just like her father."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The runway appeared longer while Mara waited at its edge. Elida was at her side, scrunching her face towards the sunlight, waiting to see the pilots return. They were silent around one another for what felt like the first time. The silence was broken first by a cheer at the other end of the landing strip, followed by a distant hum in the air.

"They're back," Elida whispered with a grin. Squinting her eyes against the edges of the sun to look upwards wasn't the same without Jackson on the other end, but the girl understood that his life was not lost in vain. "What are you going to tell him?"

Mara shook her head. "Nothing." A beat. "Maybe everything. I'm not sure."

"That's probably the best way to be."

Both girls stood quietly as mechanics and soldiers rushed past them to greet the incoming pilots. Overall, it had been a solid fight and the result was better than many had suspected. Starkiller Base was destroyed. Kylo Ren was weakened. Troopers had fallen.

And yet, Han Solo lost his life. Fewer ships were returning. The First Order was coming for them.

 _This is what I don't understand about the Force,_ Mara thought to herself as she watched X-Wings begin to land. _Why does the Darkness always chases the Light? Does the Light chase the Darkness? When are the two solitary from the other? Perhaps they need one another to_ survive. She wished, in the deepest part of her soul, that there was someone she could talk to about it. The idea was ludicrous. It seemed like nobody understood The Force anymore, and if they did, they did little to make use of it.

A hand on her shoulder shoved Mara from her thoughts. "You should go to him," Elida muttered. "He's looking for you."

Mara snapped her gaze away from her friend and down towards the end of the runway. Sure enough, with his curls flattened by sweat and his helmet lazily dripping from the tips of his fingers, Poe was staring back at her.

Her former words rushed over her body like a physical wave, sending chills over the most delicate hairs on her skin.

" _Poe, I love you. I love you. I've loved you longer than I even realized. You deserve to know and I-I can't… I'll always trust you, Poe Dameron."_

By the time she had finished reciting the words to herself, he was at her side. His eyes stared past her when his hand slid in hers. They were like a lock and key: fitting perfectly together.

"Where are we going?" Mara said in sudden alarm, aware of his tight grip and somewhat abrupt tug.

No reply came. His hold loosened somewhat, as if a test to see whether or not she'd stay.

Mara could feel the heat rushing to her face. If she had a mirror in that moment, her reflection would look no different from the suns on Tatooine. Instead, she let him carry her off of the runway and over the hills beside it. When they finally made it onto the soft patches of grass, Mara pulled away.

"Are you alright?" Her breath was short. When Poe turned to face her, it seemed to grow even weaker. "Did something happen out there? I couldn't connect to your signal and I was worried that-"

Poe's feet were too quick for the mechanic to comprehend. She found herself instantly backing up into the side of the building, the cold metal sending shivers down her spine. Or _was_ it the metal that made her feel so cold? Her eyes wide, she stared up at the man who was inches away from her face, his palm already moving to cup her chin.

"I'm sorry, Mara."

Her chest was heaving. _Did he hear my message?_ "You don't have to be sorry."

He raised a brow in surprise. "How do you already know what I'm sorry for? I haven't apologised yet."

"My message," she muttered. "You must have gotten my message and not…" The words froze in her throat. _You must have gotten my message and not have wanted to hear those three, silly words._

Poe's face was unmoving against the gently swaying leaves behind them. The sun seemed to slip from a crack in the clouds, as if only to illuminate his brown hair, turning it into an unfamiliar auburn. "What message?"

Mara's head shot upwards. When their eyes met, she still felt as if no words could come. How could she regain the courage to tell him once again? "I-I said something to you… just before you went into lightspeed-"

"What was it?"

There was something impatient in his tone. It seemed as if he already knew the words hanging off the edge of her tongue, but couldn't believe them until they were dripping in the sound of her voice. "It's nothing." Her shoulders scrunched up in hesitant laughter. "I just wanted to wish you good luck."

Poe's fingers fell from her face, finding their way to the sides of her head. There was no chance in her running now, although she didn't want to. She wished this moment would never end. She wanted the war to be over. What would their life be like without chaos? Would it be boring? Would he get tired of her? The thoughts flooded in too quickly for Mara to process, and without thinking, she turned her gaze from him.

"Why would you be afraid to tell me that?" Poe laughed beneath quick words. "You're always running your mouth at the wrong time, Crescent." His grin was too bright. Too mocking. He was nothing like Leo… but that made her all the more afraid. She felt a sting at the bottom of her eyes, but begged her soul not to cry. "There's something you wanted to tell me up there, and I think that it's exactly what I've been wanting to tell you. I just…" He also looked away, their faces mirroring one another. "I've got a lot of courage behind that control board, but when it comes to something right in front of my face, I can't seem to-"

"I love you."

Her words hung in the air: a birdsong. The chirping of the nearby insects reminded Mara of summertime, of good and happy things. Confessing her love was like throwing a weight off of her shoulders. She felt lighter and was surprised to find that she didn't care about his following words. What mattered was that she had been true to herself, and it had been a very long time since Mara could say that she had done such a thing.

"You love me," Poe muttered in disbelief. Mara simply smiled. Her heart hadn't changed in the previous thirty seconds; she didn't need to repeat herself. "Mara, I-"

"You don't have to say it back." Her pink lips rose to the middle of her cheeks. "I just wanted to tell you. I hope it doesn't make you uncomfortable."

"No, Mara… You don't-"

She rolled her eyes, all the while laced with a grin. "Honestly, Poe. You don't need to make a confession more nerve-wracking than it already-"

"I'm in love with you," he blurted, his hands slipping onto her shoulders. "Mara, I've been trying to say it for weeks. I think I've been trying to say it for _months_ , but those kind of words just don't come naturally to a pilot." His eyes searched her face for understanding. "I didn't want to lose you, Mara. I didn't want to lose myself, because I was afraid of what it would do to you. I wanted to push it away, to care about you like a colleague or friend… I'd done it before. I thought… I thought that I could do it again." His face looked pained, but she could see further. He was also throwing that weight onto the floor. She had never heard him open his heart so strongly. "But that could never happen. You were everywhere, Mara."

"Everywhere?"

"I could hear you in the engine of my jet. I could see you in the whipping stars flying past my window." He shut his eyes, creasing the skin on the edges. Her fingers instinctively reached to touch the gentle wrinkles. "I couldn't make sense of it until I just told myself that I was in love with you. That I need to be with you." His eyes finally opened, her hands cupping both sides of his face. "Please… say that you'll be with me, Mara. It's incredibly pathetic, but I think I need you."

Her lips met his in a single motion. His body was still warm from battle, sending a flutter through her stomach when she felt his breath against her own. Something about him tasted like honey, his smooth lips echoing its softness. "I always have been," she whispered against his chin, planting gentle kisses up his jawline. "I'm in love with you, you idiot."

He laughed quietly, his hands now pinning her hips against the metal wall. His body towered over hers more prominently than she remembered. When he brought his body to hers, she could feel the hardness of him. It wasn't threatening, nor did it recall the dark memories of her past. New thoughts trickled into her mind, intimate thoughts of nights alone with Poe. She had never given herself over to him, nor him to her, but it seemed that was about to change.

"I want you to have all of me," she whispered as his kisses dotted her neck. "Do you understand?"

Poe snapped back in alarm, his chocolate eyes suddenly innocent. It was a look she would never forget, one that made her smile for many years to come. "I..." He struggled to make a comment, but eventually found his words. "I'll take care of you." His fingers brushed through her hair. "You don't have to worry."

Her head nestling into his chest, she let out a sigh of relief. It was a sigh that had been trapped in her for many years. "Don't worry, Poe. I'll take care of you too."

A loud sound broke through their intimate embrace. Poe glanced down at his recorder, hesitatingly answering the incoming call. "General?"

"You'd better get back here quickly, Poe." There was a moment of silence. "You too, Mara."

Mara's eyes grew wide. _How did she know?_

"I have The Force," Leia chuckled. "I know everything. Now hurry up and get back... there's someone I want to introduce you to."


	14. Tenacity

**Hello everyone! It has been a very long time and I don't think it's worth discussing everything on HERE, so I will write a longer post on my Facebook. If any of you are still reading, I would love to hear from you! And good news - the entire story is written, so I will be posting chapters regularly :) I'm STILL figuring out exactly how Mara will fit into the storyline of the Last Jedi, but all I know is that it will be VERY exciting and I can't wait for you to read it!**

 **Additionally, some of this text comes from the Poe Dameron comic series Issue Number 8! :)**

 **~Mistro~**

 **~.~.~.~.~.~**

Mara was a few steps behind Poe and Leia, who were deep in conversation as they headed back to the main building. Poe and Mara had quietly snuck out from behind the back wall of the hangar, their smiles hidden in preparation for heavier topics. Things were already back to 'normal', if one could call it that, where she and Poe kept a somewhat safe difference between one another as he conducted his never-ending work. For the time being, she was entirely alright with that due to a sudden preoccupation.

"Is that…" The words trickled so softly from her mouth, she was surprised that Elida had heard them.

"The Millenium Falcon. The real thing." Even plumbers in the Resistance knew of the infamous ship. "It's just sitting there at the end of this runway link a giant hunk of…" She gestured with uncertainty towards the towering vehicle.

"Metal?" Mara chuckled, somewhat taken aback by the state of it.

"Exactly." Elida turned to her with a smile, noting the wonder in her friend's eyes. "Maybe one day you'll get to fly it - if you dare to take the risk."

"At this point, I feel like there's no more risks to take."

Leia signalled for the mechanic straight away, and the girl was sent running without a farewell. She trickled amongst the flustered and cheering pilots, noting several struck faces of those who had lost their partners, friends and family. It would never get any easier, but they had all prepared themselves for the worst.

"I just want to make sure that she's coping. We're going to have to send her back in the field pretty quickly, and her mind needs to be in proper shape before that can happen." Leia was now speaking directly to her and Poe in the control room, but Mara was suddenly fixated on the fact that Han Solo was lost forever, and the strength with which Leia was conducting herself with. "I'm going to leave that job to you, Mara."

Her head snapped upwards and away from her thoughts. "Sorry?"

"There's a girl in the back of the med-pod. I need you to distract her. Han took a great liking to her and I suspect she has a great wealth of knowledge about mechanics, but she's stuck in a bit of a daze." Leia spoke of Han as if nothing had happened. Others would view it as a lack of concern, but Mara understood what she was going through. She had once been the same. Leia was covering her emotions. "Poe will go and discuss the mission reports with Snap, and I'll-"

"You'll sit down." Mara's words were blunt. Both Leia and Poe seemed shocked, but the Princess quickly understood. "Don't worry about the small details," she whispered. "We'll take care of it."

Mara's words received nothing more than a nod from Leia, who quietly retreated to a far corner of the room. When the coast was clear, Poe's brow raised. "That's an awfully daring way to speak to your General, Crescent."

Mara's eyes followed Leia's trail. She eventually sat, with an air of heaviness, near a computer monitor in the corner of the room. While most people in mourning required comfort, Mara understood the necessity to be alone. "If I hadn't said anything, she would have never allowed herself a moment of silence."

Poe quietly pressed his lips to Mara's temple, his hand wrapping on the other side of his head. He didn't need to ask what she meant when he could not find Han Solo anywhere in the hangar. There would be no reunion. Two thirds of the infamous trio were seemingly lost to space, and now Leia was truly alone. The only solace she might have had in that moment were Threepio and Chewbacca, both of which were certainly not at the top of her list of comforting companions. When Poe glanced down at Mara, he sensed her empathy towards the Princess.

"You've done enough, Mara. Now go talk to that girl." His lips hummed against her hairline, before he slipped off towards his own duties.

Mara could spot the mysterious girl from a distance, even as others passed briskly in front of her. She was young, perhaps several years younger than Mara. In fact, she barely looked like a woman. But even from a distance, one could locate an aged soul. The girl's hands were dirtied alongside her outfit, and it wasn't simply from the heat of battle. She was no doubt someone who had lived alone and cared for herself, but wasn't necessarily proud of it.

Slowing making her way beside the scavenger, Mara wasn't surprised when the girl barely noticed her presence.

"It's a shame that I didn't get the chance to speak with him properly." Mara said, smiling down at the man who preoccupied the young girl's attention. Finn was in a coma, of that much she was certain. "Commander Dameron has nothing but sweet things to say about him. If he's as strong as they say, I'm sure he'll pull through." The girl had intially been startled by the stranger's words, but upon hearing her compliments towards Finn, she opened up somewhat. Mara extended her hand. "I'm Mara Crescent."

"I'm Rey," the girl said quietly. Mara waited for her second name, but none came. "Nice to meet you."

A small pause lingered over the two of them as they watched the heartbeat monitors click. The scene was all too familiar to Mara and she knew it was best to leave for both of their sakes. "Well, Rey… I've never seen you around here, so I suspect you've not had the proper tour." She plastered a wide grin on her face, worried that it would come across as unnatural. "Have you ever seen a Vekker Class Battle Cruiser?"

Rey chuckled as if the idea were mad. "Perhaps in my dreams."

Mara grinned inwardly. She had hit the nail on the head. "It doesn't _have_ to be in your dreams." Rey looked up with slight doubt, but Mara firmly extended her hand towards the door with a sweeping gesture. "It's really worth seeing once in your lifetime."

"You actually have one?" The girl stood up instantly. "Here? On the base?"

"I can't tell you how or why, but I can tell you that I'm not a liar. It's not every day that I meet someone who shares my appreciation for old ships."

"The production of Vekkers is so minor… Just acquiring the steel seems impossible. And with its use as a ramming mechanism-"

Mara gently took the girl's hand. "It's better if you see it up close. Trust me."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Poe could see the two girls coming back into the control room. They had been gone for quite some time, and he and Snap were finally done compiling statistics and gathering data from the battle. The surface of their entire fleet was scratched, but concerns about a chase were imminent. It was dire that they went back into the fight as quickly as possible.

Mara, however, was enjoying herself. She could not feel complete warmth with so many deaths registered, but being with Rey was stimulating. The girl was incredibly intelligent, each of her sentences strung together with carefully chosen words. Whoever she was, she was someone special. An energy fluttered off of her drab clothing - an energy Mara could not put into words.

Despite this newfound friendship, Mara knew that it would not last. Not to mention, the case with Oddy Muva was still on her mind. If he was truly a spy for the First Order, his flame would need to be trampled immediately. That being said, Mara and Leo could handle the mission preparations themselves while the General and Commander took a rest.

The stillness of the base seemed to offer them one, until a strange beeping noise danced in the air above them. Mara and Rey's conversation was cut short when a small group began to form at the center of the control room, a hologram spreading out around them like a tidal wave. It was only then that Mara could spot the R2 unit, awake and fully functional, his projector brighter than any of the screens surrounding them.

His projection displayed the map of a star system. Her eyes traced the constallations quickly to establish what she was looking at, while her feet subconsciously took her closer. As the hologram spun slowly, a large blank space presented itself to the growing crowd.

BB-8 beeped loudly, rolling through the center of the floor towards Poe.

Poe, crouching down, understood what was happening. "Yeah, buddy. Hold on!" His feet swiftly carried him towards a nearby computer, taking out the data device that Lor San Tekka had gifted him on Jakku. He could hardly believe that lost hope for the Universe was concealed in something lighter than his own palm. He inserted the device into BB-8, waiting with bated breath.

In a flash, another hologram appeared, its strange shape now seemingly like an elegant portrait. It was the perfect size for R2-D2-'s missing piece, the two holograms coming together like a conflicted current of the sea.

"Oh!" Threepio's robotic voice held a wealth of emotion. "The map! It is complete!"

Leia lifted a trembling hand to her chest. "Luke..."

Mara could hardly utter a word, let alone a cheer, as her surrounding teammates celebrated around her. Arms were thrown over her shoulder, crushing her to unfamiliar chests in a warm embrace. Her eyes stared straight ahead at the map, unblinking, thinking of the legend that was now only a short flight out of their reach.

Luke Skywalker was real, and he was out there.

"Can you believe this?" Poe said, pulling her away from the scavanger girl. "Mara, it's all here... Everything we've been fighting for."

It was only then that she could finally grin, the sides of her face almost hurting from her unrestrained happiness. "I'm so proud of you, Poe. None of this would be possible without you." Uncharacteristically, Poe blushed. A rejection or acceptance of her compliment might have followed, had it not been for the sudden hand on Mara's shoulder.

"I just wanted to thank you," Rey blurted. "General Organa needs to speak to me in private, but I had to let you know before I left."

Mara offered her a warm embrace. They all could have used one. "Of course, Rey. It was lovely to meet you. I hope we can see more of one another in the future." She gently spun the girl towards the door. "As much as I want to steal you back, you don't want to keep the General waiting."

Rey offered another small smile over her shoulder, as big as one could muster up with their friend lying in a coma only several feet away. Before Rey completely vanished from Mara's sight, the engineer called out to her. Rey spun to lock eyes with Mara's brown ones, a curious brow lifted.

"I just wanted to say..." Mara smiled. "Welcome to the Resistance."

~.~.~.~.~.~

Most of the chaos had died down by the evening. Pilots and workers alike couldn't hold back their tears when they saw the amount of X-Wings returned to the hangar. Others were weeping with news that Luke Skywalker had been found. At least, his location, anyway. Although being in the Resistance forced everyone to keep a stiff upper lip, it wasn't always easy when reality was repeatedly bashing you over the head, both literally and figuratively.

Mara had watched from afar as Rey and Chewbacca boarded the Millenium Falcon around sunset. She didn't need to ask where they were headed - everybody already knew.

Was Luke Skywalker still out there?

If he was, what was their next move?

Convincing the hermit to come out of his hole after thirty years seemed like a dangerous, unpredictable game. Mara couldn't shake the thought out of her head as she trickled back inside the base to find Poe. She wondered inwardly what it was that made the Rey girl so special, how Leia put her faith in her as easily as a coin into a bank. There had to be some underlying purpose that nobody could understand, but if they knew one thing, it was to trust Leia Organa.

Mara spotted Poe looking over the unconscious boy. She trickled by his side, the sound of her boots familiar in his ears, which were still ringing from the battle.

"He was wearing your jacket," Mara whispered as they stared down in unison.

"He must have taken it when we landed on Jakku."

Mara glanced up at him, a curious glint in her eye. "Did you give him the name Finn?" Poe's response was a small twitch of his lip. "I thought it seemed like something you would do. After all, Troopers don't usually have names. If they did, most of them would have forgotten it by his age."

Poe's hand reached up to cup the back of Mara's head, his fingers lazily entwining themselves in her loose hair. His eyes didn't stray far from the boy, however, and Mara understood that this momentary silence was not only about Finn. Furillo, Asty, and many other pilots - _friends_ \- had just died only hours before, and Poe had been forced to watch. There was nothing he could do to stop it. The First Order was powerful, and this battle did not even begin to scratch the surface of what was to come. Despite knowing all of this, Mara understood the power of release.

"Come with me." Her fingers wrapped around his, sending a warmth back into his legs that he had momentarily lost.

She drug him silently out of the control room and through the main hangar. It was eerily still, and whether that was because matters were being attended to, or if it was just Mara's imagination, she wasn't sure. All she could think about was how good it had felt to shoot with Jessika after her fight with Poe. Unstable emotions had shifted into physical strength, loosening the invisible knot around her lungs.

Poe's brows lifted when Mara took him to the boxing room. It was small, unlit and rather dusty, but she was certainly in the right place. She turned to face him, a long string of boxing wrap in her fist. Without uttering a word, her fingers began to lace the bandages around Poe's arms, weaving in and out like a needle. As she breathed near him, concentrated on her efforts, he felt the warmth of her breath against his slightly unbuttoned shirt. He didn't need to ask why she had brought him here. Even Poe understood the power of a punch and the ironic tension that sprung free from clenched fists.

"I want to talk to you about something." Mara's voice seemed to disappear in the musty room.

"What is it?"

"Before you left the base..." She hesitated. Did she really want to add more stress to his plate? Unfortunately, she was the cook that night. "I was trying to tell you something. It has to do with your missions regarding Agent Terex."

The name was enough to send Poe's eyes rolling. "I still can't understand how he knew about our plans."

"Exactly." Her voice was almost dismissive. Whatever she was going to say, it wouldn't be easy. "You were suspecting that it was someone in your crew. Someone close to you who knew about the mission, who could have put a tracker on your ship. I think it's important that we don't forget that before diving further into enemy waters." Her sigh shook. "Leia, Leo and I were talking about things-"

"Leo?"

"It's a long story, but that was Leia's choice. We all felt that it was important for you to stage another mission and only tell select people. We would be able to have a better understanding if someone really _is_ in contact with Terex, and just who that person might be." Mara's mind flickered back to her old ship. "We have the perfect cover and everything prepared. Leia will likely want you and Leo to leave tomorrow."

Poe stretched his hands out as she finished the last wrapping on his hands. They were too tight. Thoughts trickled into his head and Mara gently took off his shoes and socks, wrapping his feet with the same bandage. "I can't think about that," he confessed. "It hurts too much."

"Reality can hurt sometimes, Poe."

His hands continued to stroke her hair as she crouched by his feet. Even when the topic was serious, he had to touch her. "It kills me to say it, but one of my crewmates had to have done it. The first mission got leaked to a couple of people, but there was no way of knowing about the second one."

Mara's brow furrowed as she tied the final knot. "What are you going to do when you find out who it is?" She crawled her way over to the side of the room, where BB-8 was also waiting. Poe's body bounced in place a few times to get his blood flowing, but Mara nearly screamed when his body swung itself around, his raised foot kicking the pad perfectly in the middle.

He let out of a sharp cry of frustration that matched the sound of his foot hitting leather.

BB-8 let out an alarmed shout.

"Oh, I seem frusted, BB-8?" Poe laughed, albeit without a smile. "I wonder why that could be. Terex... He's got a source inside of the Resistance... Inside _Black Squadron_ , probably. And that, my friend, ain't good." His fist raised to punch the same pad. Mara sat in silence. She understood that Poe's words were not looking for a response and were merely an attempt to set free an ounce of stress.

"I've been going through mission datafiles, looking for anything that sticks out during your time on Ovanis and Megalox." Mara watched his precise kicks with amazement. He might not have been the tallest warrior, but he was certainly stronger than most people could comprehend. "I'm looking at _everyone_." She couldn't quite blurt out that Oddy was their best contender. Not yet.

"I hate it," Poe sighed again. "I've known L'ulo since I was a kid. Even thinking that he might have betrayed us makes me want to throw up. Kare and I flew together in the Republic Navy. General Organa recruited us to the Resistance at the same time. I _know_ she's loyal." A flicker passed his eyes. Mara knew that it was doubt. "But then I think about things... Like how did she know how to get to Grakkus's place on Megalox Beta? She led us right to it."

Mara's hands began to twist around themselves, her nervous habit flaring up as the secret dared to drip off the edge of her tongue.

"These people are my friends. My family. And now Terex has me thinking about them like criminals." His body spun around itself, hitting two pads with one foot and one arm. Mara backed up slightly, somewhat fearful that she was near the firing line. "If one of them was a traitor, it means they've been lying to my face. Pretending they're worried. Pretending they care. Pretending they don't know the _truth_."

"Yes, Poe... It's a lot of pretending."

"So now I'm second guessing everything all of them have done since we formed the squadron." His wrapped fist went flying into the largest punching pad, the sound reverberating across the entire room and out the hall. It was the strongest hit yet, and Mara wasn't quite sure if Poe had any energy left in him. He answered her curiosity with a feeble sigh, his head rolling back and his eyes shutting with a flicker. "Were they really trying to help, or was it all part of some plan? Just another lie?"

Mara's hand gently patted the ground beside her. Without even opening his eyes, Poe fell to a slump at her side. Her fingers began to unwind his wrappings as her tongue tried not to blurt out Oddy's name. Just like the bandages, she had to do this delicately.

"I can't trust my own squadron." Poe's voice shook with frustration. After finishing a battle on Starkiller Base with his team, Mara could understand how he must have felt. What if someone had betrayed them _then_? "It makes me sad - makes me _angry_." His eyes stared between his feet as Mara exposed them once again to the cool air. "And you know what? It's all Terex's fault."

Mara crumpled the white wraps into a pile at their side. BB-8 joined them, his head slipping to the side in curiosity. "Poe, you don't know that. We don't have any way of understanding what could have happened. Maybe someone in your team is being threatened. Maybe they-"

"You know something." Poe's eyes finally caught hers, narrowing into slits.

Mara's hands shakily reached for her chest, where she felt her breath slip away. "No... I don't _know_ anything, but-"

"You have a lead."

Mara waited as Poe stared into her eyes like flames on a fire. He didn't even blink, and she wondered how they had been showering one another in kisses just hours before. Saying they loved one another. Feeling like the war had ended, when it had only just begun. She nodded, finally succumbing to his silent pressure. "Only one lead. I didn't want to tell Leia about it, in case I suspected someone completely innocent." Mara's hands reached for his. "I know you'll listen to me, and it will be hard, but just hear me out."

Poe nodded. She had his full attention, as always.

"When Oddy Muva caught you and I in the storage room, he was shocked. At first I brushed it off, thinking that it was embarassing for the three of us. After you left, he continued acting strange. His hands couldn't pick up a wrench, let alone hold one. Don't you think it's odd to be acting that way? Just before a battle?" It may have made sense for someone to be nervous before a big fight, but that had never been Oddy. Poe rolled the idea over in his head. "If it _is_ Oddy Muva, and it may not be, I don't think he's doing it because he wants to. I think he's being pressured by Terex. Whatever leverage that monster has against our friend, it seems heavy."

"Oddy Muva." Poe let the same fall from his lips, the aggression lost to him on the boxing pads. "It couldn't be."

Mara squeezed his fingers. "It _could_ be."

He glanced back at her, his brows still furrowed. "How can we know for sure?"

"Take him on the mission with you." Mara encouraged. "If he's with you and Leo, you could keep a better eye on him. If he's sending orders to Terex from the base, he could hide anywhere. With you by his side, he's far less likely to do so."

Poe nodded, taking in each word with serious consideration. As Mara said, this was not a casual accusation. He didn't even know if he should tell Leia about it, for fear that he and Mara may be wrong. What did he truly know about Oddy Muva? He knew that Oddy had a wife. He knew that him and Leia had fought together at Endor, staying close friends ever since. He also knew that Oddy wanted to be a pilot more than anything, a wish he would soon get if Poe asked him to join the mission. It was the perfect decoy, and Oddy would lap it up like a cat with milk.

Poe was just about to finish the deal with a statement, but he was silenced by a hand on his face. Mara pulled him towards her, her lips meeting him with such desparation that he thought he may have missed something. Whatever he reason was, her didn't care. All thoughts of the mission rolled from his mind, just as BB-8 had rolled out of the room in a panic. She was still there beside him, and even though he had to take Oddy on the mission, he wished more than anything that it could have been her.

"I'm sorry," Mara gasped between kisses. "I'm so sorry that you have to think about these things."

Poe wanted to reply and tell her that he was fine. He wanted to show her his strength, but all he could think about in that moment was the taste of her lips, the sweet scent of blueberries that danced off of them, and the words she had spoken to him earlier that day.

 _"I want you to have all of me. Do you understand?"_

All of her?

"Mara." He pulled her away, their breath caught between them. The two stared at one another with wild eyes, their thoughts unmasked. "I don't want to leave tomorrow." _I don't want to leave tomorrow without knowing you, without seeing you, without being with you._

She bit her bottom lip, fighting back the urge to protest. "You're Commander Poe Dameron. You have no choice."

"I do have a choice," he muttered before kissing her once again. "At least for tonight."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

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 **x**


	15. Yielding

**Wowowowow! You guys are such amazing fans. I honestly didn't expect to hear from you, but I got some great reviews and I'm glad to see you're all still out there. As promised, I will be uploading a chapter per week until the end of the story. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you all for being so supportive and understanding and a big shoutout to kylya, Theodosia Marie, Alice-Ann Wonderland, thedragonhorse, CordeliaWho, and LoveFiction2019 for leaving reviews. It means so much to me and I love hear your thoughts and opinions!**

 **Oh, and by the way... don't worry but THAT ending of the last chapter WILL be brought up, just perhaps not right away... ;)**

 **xoxo**

 **Mistro**

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

The following morning, Poe struggled to get out of bed. He knew that a long day rest ahead of him, as far as long days went, and he wasn't particularly looking forward to it. He and Leo had discussed some basics of the mission the night before, and Poe had relayed that Oddy Muva would be joining them. No harsh words were passed between the two young pilots, their strength better in number.

Now that the hours were ticking down, anxious thoughts about Oddy began to spring up. When Poe trickled into the hangar to check on his ship that morning, Oddy stood beside it with his familiar grin. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"I think that does it," Oddy said from the side of the X-Wing.

"Great," the pilot replied. He was now sitting in the cockpit, checking that everything was in order. "BB-8, run a diagnostic on the port stabilizers. Make sure we're good." Poe's words were monotonous as he stared down at his friend from above. The Abednedo didn't even glance up. "The signal's coming back perfect! Thanks, Oddy. You're a Jedi with this stuff." Although Poe was suspicious of his friend, the readings were truly too good not to compliment. "Best tech on the base."

"I don't know about that." Oddy smiled. "Your girl Mara's not too shabby herself."

Poe began to climb down the ladder, his gloved hands gripping the cold metal. "How about you take the ship up for a spin? Make sure everything works the way it's supposed to." He needed a moment alone with Mara and Leo to reconfigure the plan.

"Your ship?" Oddy gasped. "You're going to let me fly _your_ ship?"

"Looks that way. The Resistance is gonna get you your own ship one of these days, and you'll need some time under your belt on something better than a training sim." _Give him what he wants._ The pilot thought inwardly to himself. _Let him feel safe around you._

"Thank you, Poe. I swear I'll keep it safe. Not even a dent." Oddy's smile was genuine. "You're the best."

Poe hesitated to say the following sentence. Oddy was so preoccupied with the X-Wing, a look of total lust in his small eyes, that Poe didn't want to distract him with even bigger news. He was worried the poor man might collapse from a heart attack. "Oddy, I'd like you to join us on this mission. If you're up for it, it'll take less than a day."

The mechanic nearly collapsed in a state, his thin frame clutching the wing of the ship. "I-I'm sorry. What?"

"Part of our operation requires mechanics. According to Threepio, we have to receive some information from a missing droid, as if I hadn't already done that enough these past few days."

Oddy looked worried, but Poe couldn't tell if it was because he was a traitor or because of the mission. "Where are we going?"

"That's the fun part," Poe said sarcastically. "The mission is based on Kaddak."

"Kaddak?" Oddy choked. "I've heard that place is bad news."

Poe nodded in agreement. "No denying that, buddy. But Threepio has a droid there that's collected a vast amount of information on the First Order, including Leader Snoke's whereabouts." Poe eyed Oddy from a distance, but none of the mechanic's reactions seemed out of the ordinary. At any rate, if he really _was_ working for Terex, it was likely that he had no direct contact with the First Order base. "All of a sudden, we lost the signal. It's up to us to go and find that droid."

Although the original plan was to locate a Resistance spy, the decoy plan was ironically not a decoy. Leia had informed Poe of it the night before, creating a rather convenient situation for the two missions to overlap.

"If you'd really have me, I'd be honored to join you." Oddy's head hung low in respect and Poe felt his stomach churn.

"We'll leave within the hour, but I do still want you to test fly my ship." Oddy opened his orange eyes curiously with no matching brows to raise. "Can I meet you at the end of the landing strip in thirty minutes?"

The man nodded. He would have waited years to go on a mission with Poe Dameron. Waiting was his forte.

With a friendly pat on the back, Poe left Oddy alone in the hangar. His stomach had twisted itself into an unsalvageable knot with the idea that their plan might not work, but it was their _only_ plan, and it would have to do.

As Poe made his way outside, something about the direct sunlight made him wince. He raised a hand to block its rays, but the sensation continued. An unwelcome noise broke out around his skull without warning, his entire body feeling like a taut string. He could feel his legs beginning to quiver slightly in the core of their muscles, his hands instinctively reaching for his ears.

It was the memory of torture.

The electrocution method that Hux had used against him was coming back in waves, triggered each time he felt a flare of stress. The sharp sensation seemed to be locked in his memory without a key to release it. Additionally, a crushing sensation swept over him as if his head would burst. That was no doubt a side effect of the Force, and Kylo Ren's dark purpose for it. How long would it take to shake off the feeling? Could it ever be shaken off? Was this the beauty, and darkness, of the Force?

Mara had also woken up early to check on the X-Wings that had returned from Starkiller Base. The work was exhaustive and extensive, and truthfully she wondered if she was even capable of repairing over half the fleet. However, the sound of heavy boots at her back gave her a good enough distraction to halt the difficult work. The face of Poe Dameron greeted her, but something was off. His face writhed in pain and his damp hands were clasped over his ears.

"Poe?" She cried, dropping her wrench and rushing to his side. "Are you okay? What's going on?"

It took the pilot a moment to steady his breathing. He nearly collapsed against her, but held himself up with a groan. It was only as his heartbeat began to steady itself that he realized the amount of pressure that had been put on him in the past several days. "I'm fine." His voice shook. "I just... I must have eaten something bad at breakfast."

Mara wasn't going to press him any further for an answer. If she had, he wouldn't have told her. It was his job as a Resistance pilot to deal with whatever faced them: battle, death, torture. Poe knew that better than anyone and wore it like a medal on his chest. However, Poe had seemed to sweat himself to sleep the night before.

"Leo is waiting for you at the ship." She tried to change the subject. "We checked everything and the systems are in good shape. All you need to do is get Oddy and take off."

Poe gripped her hand as they walked towards the end of the runway together. BB-8 rolled over to join them, an excited whizz flying from his speakers.

Poe followed the droid's gaze to a giant junker ship. It loomed down at them like an angry mother. "Holy shit."

"I know, right?" Mara laughed. "This used to be Leo's ship. We had it when we lived together on Coruscant." She regretted the words as soon as she spoke them, but Poe didn't seem to notice.

"You said it, BB-8! Just look at this beast!"

Mara's brows rose upon hearing Poe's comment. That was what her and Leo had named it, after all: The Beast.

Leo also heard Poe's exclamation as he waited near the ramp of the ship. Mara noticed that he looked strikingly taller in his Resistance uniform, as if he hadn't been tall enough. "Are you unfamiliar with the operation of this ship, Commander?" Leo asked, surprisingly with respect.

"Nah," Poe smirked. "I can fly anything. I just wish I didn't have to fly this."

Mara playfully slapped him with her glove. "It might not be your X-Wing, but this type of freighter is often used for smuggling, and your cover story is that you're pretending to be smugglers."

"Pretending?" Leo chuckled. "I used to _be_ one."

Poe nodded in agreement, still taking in the ship's massive size. "It all makes sense. I'm just thinking – if we get into some sort of trouble, this brick might not be all that helpful in getting us out."

Leo wiped the sweat from his forehead as the sun beat down. "Well, then the answer seems simple. Avoid trouble."

The conversation could have continued to flow in a negative route towards their fears for the mission, had it not been for a gentle tug on Poe's sleeve. Mara was behind him, smiling wider than ever, her pink cheeks radiant in the bright sunlight. He knew part of her smile held concern, but both of them chose to ignore it. "I should get back to work," she said.

Poe's mind briefly snapped to the night before as his eyes flickered towards her lips. A memory that felt like a lifetime ago came back to him in the span of a second.

Mara's brown hair trickling over his shoulder.

Soft lips lingering along his collarbone.

The weight and heat of her body against his.

He snapped out of it. "You should, shouldn't you? I suspect the General will be waiting for you." He flicked a strand of her hair into her eyes, smiling all the while. This mission wasn't particularly dangerous – the planet was, but not the mission – and she had nothing to worry about.

"I'll be waiting for you." She leaned in to kiss him, hoping that Leo had already turned away.

Poe smiled against her lips, whispering into her ear just before she departed. "You'd better be."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

From inside the ship, Leo and Poe tried not to cross one another with any pettiness. Overall, things were going well. Poe could see that the new pilot had even managed to let go whatever hold he had on Mara. With their backgrounds as rebels and their desire to fight for the same cause, Poe wondered if they could even be friends. Just the thought of it was enough to make his head start ringing again.

"Thank you so much, Poe." Oddy showed his gratitude for the twentieth time that day as he sat in the cockpit. "Getting behind the controls of an actual ship... on an actual mission... I can't believe it."

"I'm glad you're here too, Oddy." He and Leo exchanged a knowing glance. "But don't thank me yet. This planet we're going to is completely lawless. The New Republic tried to bring it under control a few decades back. They sent a good sized fleet, but none of them came back. Not one." Poe didn't want to strike fear into the men's hearts, but truthfully it was in his own. Kaddak was a hellhole, opening its pit to only the finest scum in the galaxy. It was worse than Megalox in that sense, as its pillar of construction was built only on lies. "This place is bad news."

As if on cue, the ship entered the planet's atmosphere. From up above, the men could easily make out the giant, pink diamond that rested in the center of the city. It was known to all as the Sliver, its name and purpose an unequal match for its beautiful hue. Surrounding it were dotted rooftops on a sandy earthen floor, scattered around until they ultimately led out to barren waste land. If you were flying into the planet, there was nowhere to hide.

"Did Threepio tell us where to look for his missing droid?" Leo asked as their ship swung by the Sliver. It was beautiful in its scale and color, but something menacing radiated off its sharp edges.

"This isn't the kind of place to mention that aloud," Poe replied. "The walls have ears on Kaddak."

"You mean the city's full of spies?"

"Operatives. I would use the word 'operatives'. Unfortunately, I don't know where to start looking. I've been in contact with one of our other _operatives_ to see if they could offer us a friendly clue."

"Alright. Let's go in easy. We've got to keep our cover low at all times." Leo directed the words more towards the mechanic than Commander Dameron.

The three men had finally landed, making their way into the surprisingly fresh air. The temperature was mild, enough for a light jacket and nothing more. The sky was blue with puffy clouds dotted across it like streaks of oil paint. Busy crowds bustled below them, and parents grasped small children's hands so as to not lose them. Overall, it was a picturesque scene to those who had no idea of the horrors that lay below.

"Why are you so worried about this planet, Poe?" Oddy chimed. "Just looks like any old backwater space port."

Without having to say anything, a body suddenly fell from the sky and sliced through the air in front of them. The white clouds were momentarily shrouded. With a loud shriek, the man tumbled in a steady path downwards until his body disappeared between a splay of rooftops.

"Was that... Did someone just-"

"Yeah, Oddy." Poe dug his fists into his pocket. "That's the way they handle problems here. Take them to the top of the Sliver and toss them off. When they hit the ground..." He grimaced against the sunlight. "Well, problem solved."

"But none of these people even _looked_ at him!"

Poe's tone was dark. "Just another day on Kaddak. That's why we need to find that droid and get out of here. This isn't just another spaceport." He began to walk towards the staircase, being sure to keep his head down and his profile casually out of sight. "It's a bad place filled with bad people."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The men had made their way up to the 45th floor of the Sliver, taking a rest at what appeared to be a cantina. No matter how many times Poe flew around the galaxy, a cantina always seemed to be the best option for hushed whispers and silent nothings. Granted, cantinas always had ears, so you had to be an expert about which table you sat at and just how many beers you drank. Leo didn't waste a second to grab them all something, and as they sipped on their cool bottles, the conversation reached muted tones.

"Give us what you've got, Dameron." Leo encouraged him with another swig of his drink. "What sort of droid are we looking for?"

"Before we get to that, we have to talk about how to keep each other safe." Poe's eyes danced around the room. He spotted various races and creatures whose cold and unloving eyes made him long for Mara's embrace. "The social interactions between the various criminal factions here are very complex. It makes it pretty tricky to see everything at once, even if you're a droid programmed for diplomatic relations."

Oddy finally gave in, setting his bottle on the bar with a thud. "Are we here for a reason? If it's so dangerous, maybe we should just go."

"We've got to wait here," Poe whispered hotly. The sunlight was kissing them from a large window, making up a wall to the outside view. Only one other body had managed to fall that morning, which seemed rather quiet for Kaddak. "We've got to wait for Threepio's operative. He should be here any minute."

Something began to nudge Poe's foot. He glanced down to see an MSE-6 droid making its way around the men's shoes.

"Wouldn't happen to be this little guy, would it?" Leo joked. When Poe only smiled in response, he couldn't help but match the pilot's enthusiasm. "You've got to be kidding me. Nice thinking, Poe. Nobody's going to look twice at these little guys."

"If you two would just stand casually in front of him and BB-8, this little guy can input his information into _our_ little guy." Poe casually moved to the side, helping to block BB-8's round figure. "He's been rolling around cantinas all day. If someone's mentioned our missing droid, he'll have heard about it."

"That's genius!" Oddy cried.

The men stood in silence as they waited for BB-8's processing. Leo glanced over at Poe and found himself weakening as many girls likely often did. Leo had to hand it to the guy - his bravery was interstellar. Coming to a place like this? Just after a mission on the First Order base? The only reason Poe had brought Leo was for more manpower and as a test of his loyalty, and Oddy was of necessity. The Resistance Commander would have gone alone if he could have. Dameron was a bit of a rogue and a fighter, and yet he had the sensitivity to worry unconditionally about others. For him to be so highly renowned across the galaxy, Poe Dameron had to be a good man.

Perhaps Leo hadn't given him enough credit for that.

"Oh, this is just _great_." Poe's attitude suddenly shifted into one of disappointment, his hands running through his tousled hair. BB-8 was speaking quickly the pilot. "Our _crucially important_ information that may very well _cripple_ the First Order is being held by the Rancs."

Leo's head snapped sideways, his blue eyes wider than saucers. "Oh, that's just lovely."

Oddy looked between the men. "Who are the Rancs?"

Leo smiled weakly, offering Oddy a sarcastic look of comfort. "Let me put it this way. You know how that guy got thrown off the Sliver just after we landed? If my choice was that or dealing with the Rancs..." He watched with weary eyes as the repair bot moved along. "...I'd take my chances with the fall."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Mara was in full research mode. She wanted to be able to predict Terex's next move before he was even able to, but one thing she was nearly certain of was that he would end up on Kaddak. Seeing Oddy leave with the boys that morning and watching him avoid her gaze made her almost certain in her suspicions. Again, she had not reported her thoughts to Leia. It was a secret that would sit with her until Poe and Leo had their evidence.

Mara stared at the green monitor before her, wishing absentmindedly that there had been more color choices. She thought she was doomed to see green until her death. It wasn't rich and refreshing like the green on Yavin 4, but dull and insignificant. Why hadn't she brought her paint set to the base? There were countless things to draw inspiration from. Hundreds of faces to sketch. However, as much as Mara hated to admit it, there was no free time to unleash her creativity. She had no choice but to continue working, sending her scrolling through the files once more.

"TK-603", she muttered. "What secrets are you hiding?"

Mara had managed to find out more information about Terex's partner, TK-605, than the man himself. 605's real name was Corlac, and it seemed that he once held more ambition than Terex did. When the Galactic Civil War ended, Corlac had gone rogue. He preached that ambition, rather than conformity, was worth living for. Who needed the Imperial fleet? Who needed the New Republic? Who needed anything but themselves?

Corlac and his partner had spent about a year on Jakku building an Ugly out of an abandoned AT-AT walker, a pair of S-foils, and a pair of TIE Interceptor wings. Mara's brows rose when she came across a sketch of it, rather impressed with their makeshift engineering skills. Her eyes continued to scan the old reports, which were nearly three decades old, attempting to understand a complex story purely based on facts.

One thing noticeably stood out.

 _Mission statement made with TK-603 to Outer Rim Territories. Kaddak._

Mara held her breath. Of course, there was no denying it now. Kaddak was an old base of Terex's where he had likely made connections and held lustrous power over the criminals there. If Terex was going to fight against Poe, Leo and BB-8, he wasn't going to be alone this time. He was going to be surrounded by some of the most vicious pirates and gangs in the galaxy, all of whom Poe was unaware held strong ties to Terex.

Unsure of what to do next, Mara turned off the monitor screen. Hadn't she known that this plan was going to end up like this? Wasn't that part of their goal, to prove that Oddy was guilty by meeting Terex? All of that boiled down to a simple realization.

They were in unimaginable danger.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The Rancs hideout was less than impressive. It was in the bottom floor of the Sliver, where pink crystals rained down from the ceiling in stalactite cones. Bright banners holding the crest of the Rancs, battered from years of conflict, hung down in muddy red hues. Poe thought it clashed with the overarching pink tones, but his interior design preferences were of little importance.

"I don't like this, Poe." Leo shook his head, not even trying to hide his trepidation as he scanned the hardened faces of nearby pirates. Their eyes, glossed over with hatred and scars, followed every step that the Resistance pilots took.

"Don't worry." Poe's voice was less than comforting. "Just let me do all the talking. Although, it's not the talking I'm worried about." Poe glanced down at the gun holsters on their trousers. "Keep your eyes open and your hand near your blaster."

Oddy's face twitched, his long orange mustache drooping even further. If Muva was a traitor, he still hadn't been expecting this. Poe was just waiting to see if Terex turned up anywhere on the planet, a telltale sign that Oddy was not as innocent as he looked.

Poe approached a desk at the entrance of the arched hall. A heavy-set man with an unforgiving gaze glanced back at them, disinterested in what they had to say. "Hi there." Poe offered a smile and stood in silence as his greeting went unaccepted. "All Honor to the Mighty Ranc Gang. I'm here to ask about a droid that your boys may be selling."

"Uh-huh." The man stood up, his height now twice the size. "You're Poe Dameron, right?"

"Yeah." Poe's brows came together. "So what?"

Without a second of hesitation, the man lifted his arm. A blaster set to stun struck Poe immediately in the chest, sending his body spiralling backwards and onto the metal floor with a loud _crash_. BB-8's electric shocker immediately broke free from the front of his spherical body, flashing blue sparks with an unspoken warning. Leo and Oddy both rushed over to check on their fallen Commander, their eyes blank as they glanced back towards the man who had shot him.

Looking disinterested, he blew on the tip of his gun, sending away a puff of blue smoke. "Just wanted to make sure."

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

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 **xoxo**

 **Gossip Girl**


	16. Oath

**Hello everyone! How are you? I hope you had a wonderful Valentines/Singles Awareness/Palentines day last week! Luckily I can offer you some more romance in this chapter. I hope you enjoy it! A big shoutout to Lily L Lovegood, Love Fiction 2019 and thedragonhorse for their reviews last week!**

 **If you could all please leave a review for this chapter, I would appreciate it so much! It's always hard writing love scenes and comments are warmly appreciated. -heart-**

 **Lots of love**

 **Mistro**

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

"Oh, no." Oddy's voice shook as he looked down at his fallen Commander. Poe's face was still as a group of pirates began to gather around them.

"Blast them!" A mysterious purple creature with blue eyes shouted at them. "Dameron's the only one we need." Leo glanced up to see the pirates now pointing blasters between their eyes.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Leo's voice was confident. From the corner of his eye, he could see various droids making their way to form another circle around the group. Luckily, when he had gone over the mission with Poe, this was something Threepio had planned for. "You see, we have _you_ surrounded."

The Ranc members were at a loss for words. Who were these men who had just showed up and hacked into their droid systems?

"Please relinquish your arms immediately," A tall droid requested.

"Clarification," another droid chimed in. "Your weapons. Caveat: you will indeed relinquish your arms if you fail to comply."

One of the pirates paused for an eye roll. "Fabulous."

Leo shrugged. "As I said. Surrounded."

Poe was steadily starting to regain his conscious, his body weakly lifting off the floor. "Do you guys know what getting a stun blast right in the chest feels like?" Poe began to rub at his chest wearily, not at all phased by what was going on. "Because I do," he groaned. "I almost wish they'd just dropped me off the Sliver." BB-8 whizzed with concern. "Don't worry, pal. I'm just kidding. I'm not going anywhere for a good, long while."

Leo kept his blaster held upright, although the pirates had already lost their interest. "I wouldn't mind getting off this planet."

"These Rancs were trying to sell the droid we were looking for." Oddy said as he helped Poe to stand. "Threepio has some of his spies already looking for it."

Leo's eyes were fixated on an incoming droid. It was an old N1-ZX series Commando droid, whose long black legs were carrying it straight towards the Resistance group. "If I had to guess, I'd say our quarry is here now."

"Huh." The droid scoffed, its wide eyes scanning the men from head to toe. "Took you long enough."

The men disregarded the droid's sass to follow it outside. The Rancs didn't seem to have any issue with letting them go, their weapons still dropped on the floor and their hands in the air. It was interesting to think of the power of droids, and just what their presence could mean. The Rancs weren't particularly worried about fighting them - in that sense they easily could have won - but the amount of precious data that droids in their gang possessed was too valuable. If the hacker damaged the droids' systems, the Rancs would have been finished.

When the Resistance group was back outside, the new droid seemed to have little interest in offering up the information. It politely declined Leo's request, and Poe didn't have the energy to argue.f

"This is outrageous!" Leo shouted, finally snapping. "I'm your superior officer and I'm commanding you to release your data!"

"You wish, blondie. I'm keeping what I know about Supreme Leader Snoke to myself until I'm blasted off this planet."

Leo had dealt with some annoying people in his time, but none had ever been quite so irritating as a disobedient droid. The scratchy voice got under his skin, and he turned to the others with an explanation. "This unit's self-preservation programming is deeply embedded into his central processors." Poe raised a brow in amazement. He'd never heard Leo use such big words. "He's only gonna release his intelligence about the First Order once we safely return to the Resistance base."

"Refusing?" Poe scoffed. "He's a droid. Just get it out of him! Give him a robo-lobotomy or something." BB-8 cried in fear, never quite hearing his friend speak so harshly about droids. Poe glanced down with an apologetic look, unable to take back his words.

"Just try, human." The droid challenged. "See what happens."

"He's right," Oddy sighed. "Forcefully infiltrating his systems would result in a complete memory wipe. We would lose everything."

Poe's head was ringing again. This time it wasn't from the blaster, but once again from his electrocution on the Starkiller Base. He hadn't even had time to think about _that_ mission, let alone a new one. He hoped that nothing had gone wrong since he left. The pressure building up made his temples sting, and with a defeated groan, he shut his eyes. "Whatever. I hate this mission. Let's just get the damn thing back to the ship."

"Thing?" The droid gasped. "I have a name, you know! I am Nunzix!"

The droid continued to ramble on as Leo managed to get it in a chokehold. Oddy and Poe would have offered a helping hand, had something else not stolen their attention. "Poe… what is that?" It was Oddy who asked, his head pointed directly towards the sky.

"Uh-oh." Poe's heart registered what it was before his eyes caught sight of it. He could spot it from a stretched out shadow on the ground, its slender body too long for any other ship than the Carrion Spike. "I know that ship. I saw it on Megalox Beta." He looked at his friend, waiting for guilt to register on his face. "That's Terex."

"Huh." Oddy said quietly. "Terex."

Poe began to push the group towards the crowd. BB-8 and Leo followed close behind, the rebel droid still clutched beneath Leo's firm guard. Now that Terex had arrived, Poe had to maintain his composure in order to convince Oddy that he knew nothing. "I thought this smelled like him. Those gangsters must have called him – he probably put a bounty out on me. Man is nefarious." Oddy said nothing in response, his eyes darting anxiously around them. "If we move fast and get a little luck, we can be off this planet before-"

Without warning, a thunderous voice erupted from the sky. It caused everyone, including the pirates lining the narrow streets, to stop their paths. "This is Lord Terex. I have returned."

" _Lord_ Terex?" Poe's eyes squinted against the sun. "This guy's pretty impressed with himself."

"People of Kaddak." The voice continued. "I require Poe Dameron. Bring him to me, and you shall be rewarded." Poe's stomach dropped to the core of the planet. Suddenly all eyes were on him. "Go, now. _Please me_."

In only a matter of seconds, all three of the men had their blasters ready. Blue stun bullets were flying between them and the buildings as they sprinted back towards the ship hangar. "BB-8!" Poe screamed down at his friend, who was struggling to keep up as legs danced around his spherical body. "Can you override these droid settings? Make them protect us?"

The bot's gears clicked like wildfire. In only a matter of seconds, things began to get quieter behind the group. When they turned back, a wall of droids stood between them and the pirates.

"Override signal received." Each of the droids were saying it, their own blasters now raised. "New protocol received. Protect and defend."

With a sigh of relief, they continued their desperate sprint towards the hangar. The Commando Droid was still with them, its cold metal hand forcibly being tugged by Leo. If the droid had anything to say about it, it was lost under the sound of their trampling feet.

It didn't take much longer for the makeshift team to get back up the Sliver. Nobody had managed to cross their path with droids at their beck and call, and before they could realize it, they were once again standing in front of The Beast. Its grey and red hues glared down at them against the beating sunlight, recalling Poe of that very morning, when he had been safe in the embrace of Mara. Poe collapsed against his knees, wondering what on Earth he was doing here. Was it really worth it? What if Oddy _wasn't_ the mole?

"Thank the maker," Leo gasped, crumbling to his knees. "We made it."

"Wait." The droid scoffed. "We're supposed to get in _that_? I'd have better luck flapping my arms."

Leo glared at his newfound enemy. "Too bad you don't have arms, bot."

The droid ignored him. "If Terex sends fighters after us, we're done for. This is a terrible plan."

"Easy there, chief." Poe shot it a look of warning. "I planned for this." The droid glanced at him with curiosity, wondering who this strange man was that Terex would go as far to put a bounty on his head. Without an explanation, Poe turned to his trusted droid. "Do it, pal."

BB-8's system swung open the back hatch of The Beast. Its large walkway fell to the ground slowly, creaking like a forgotten staircase, and with a thud it came to rest on solid ground. What lay inside appeared to the group like a beautiful dancer making her entrance on stage. Leo could have cried with laughter and relief. He think he was finally beginning to understand Poe Dameron.

"You just couldn't leave it, could you?"

Staring back at them was Poe's T-85 X-Wing. The cockpit lid was already opened, as if begging for one of the pilots to step inside. Poe breathed as if he were seeing a friend that had been lost for years. "Hello, beautiful."

"Come on," Leo urged, shoving the droid inside. "You can ride on the hull."

"And what about you?" Nunzix protested, its gangly body desperately trying to avoid Leo's attempts. "Where are _you_ going to go?"

Leo flashed it a white grin, his blue eyes sparkling like open waters. "Like the Commander said – we planned for this. I'll be taking the hunk of junk back with Oddy and you and Dameron can make your way out of here around Terex's bullets."

"Oddy?" The droid would have raised a brow if it had one. "I feel that I should point out that the third member of your party is missing."

Poe's body went cold. "What? I can't believe…" He snapped around in a panic, realizing the droid was right. "Where is he?"

How had he missed it? When did Oddy get the chance to sneak away? Whatever the mechanic was doing, it would be a suicide mission. He hoped, in the deepest part of his heart, that he had been wrong about Oddy and that Terex really did have leverage against him. If that were true, Oddy could have summoned up the courage to fight and gone after Terex himself. Either way, Poe could not risk the hunt for his friend with Terex on his tail.

"I've been signaling his comms," Leo said, aggressively tapping at his wrist. "No response."

Poe marched forward towards his ship, a flush of anger spreading across his cheeks. "I feel awful saying this, but we can't wait. The stakes are too high. We'll leave Oddy the Cargo ship. He has the access codes to fly it."

"What about me?" Leo's anxiety began to flare up at the realization that his precious Beast could be lost forever. After all, it was one of the only sentimental things he had of his and Mara's dynamic relationship, and he was gradually growing into a sentimental kind of guy.

Poe strapped on his helmet, his eyes staring straight ahead with purpose. "I'm not sure if you saw that T-70 at the front of the cargo hold, but I'm pretty sure the droids are still blocking the pathway. You'll be safe. Take BB-8 and override the system for the access codes. If you can, follow my lead out of here."

Leo agreed without argument. Before setting off to find the older X-Wing model, he managed to get the droid into the hull. As much as he hated to leave The Beast behind, flying in a T-70 was nothing to complain about.

Poe shook his head silently as BB-8 and Leo disappeared from his line of vision. What kind of mess had they gotten themselves into? Whispering to himself, Poe tried to calm his pumping heart. "Honestly, wherever Oddy is, he's probably safer than we are."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Captain Phasma's blue face stared blankly at Terex through the hologram, but her voice was filled with rage. "Agent Terex… What have you done?" Her expressionless eyes moved from his head to his toes. "And what are you wearing?" The man was sitting in his familiar chair, with that familiar lean that she so greatly despised. His armor was makeshift and appeared to be several decades old. There was a deep purple hue on his chest, with arms and legs seemingly made from an old Trooper suit. Whatever it was, it made him no less of an embarrassment to the First Order.

"This?" He gestured to his chest with both hands. "The armor of the Lord-General of the Rancs of Kaddak."

"Fine," Phasma spat. "But _why_? Standards must be maintained. Examples must be set. You are an Officer of the First Order Security Bureau!"

"Well, yes." His voice was silk like butter, coy as always. "But I am also Lord-General of the Rancs of Kaddak. And frankly, my dear Captain Phasma…" He leaned in menacingly from his chair, their eyes now level through the hologram. "You knew that when you hired me."

Terex was on fire that day. He never felt as strong with the First Order as he did with the Rancs. On Kaddak, his power was unlimited and every man on the planet would have slit their own throat without question if he asked them to. He had his former colleague to thank for that, a man known by the name of Cormac, who had tried to use him as bait. Bait? Oh, no. Terex was not something to be chewed up and spat back out again. Cormac and several other pirates on Kaddak had wanted to overtake the Rebellion many years ago on their own to wield power and fame. They had considered Terex dispensable, using him as a guppy for smaller tasks.

He had shown them who was _really_ dispensable.

"You were ordered to report to First Order Space after your failure to obtain information from Grakkus the Hutt. You did not do so. Luckily for you, that was handled by the First Order. However, Kylo Ren himself has taken an interest in your missteps."

"Ah, yes." Terex raised his thick brow, his nails receiving more attention that the woman before him. "Very intimidating. I met Vader once, Phasma. Now _there_ was a terrifying, magical strongman for you. But it so happens that I do have an explanation." He sat up straight again, clearing his throat. Phasma waited in silence. If she didn't, she wasn't sure what words would fly from her mouth. "Poe Dameron is bringing the Resistance a droid he mistakenly believes holds crucial First Order Intelligence. I, and my sizable fleet of warships, are currently tracking him. Once Poe leads me to the Resistance Base, I will use my fleet to destroy Leia Organa, Poe, Ackbar, and everyone and everything else they have."

"Terex," Phasma's voice was now loose with rage. "You must not do this! You don't even know what has happened here!" Her chest heaved with anger, although it could not be seen underneath her thick armor. "Starkiller Base is _destroyed_. We are exiting into the atmosphere as we speak, trying to locate a signal from one of the X-Wings that left our base. If we can manage to lock onto it, we will find the Resistance Base in a matter of minutes and we will hunt them down." She pointed her gloved finger squarely between his eyes. She wished she was there in person to kill him herself. Nothing would have held her back. "The Supreme Leader has forbidden open hostility by First Order military against forces aligned with the New Republic. The time is not yet right!"

Terex had stood up upon hearing the news from Starkiller Base. Things were messier than he thought, but he was in too deep with his argument and could not pull out now for the sake of compliance. "Ah, but Phasma, have you already forgotten? I am not only a First Order Officer. My ships are not First Order, my men are not First Order. They are _mine_. Which means, of course, that what you cannot do, what Hux and Kylo Ren cannot do, what the Supreme Leader cannot do… I can."

Phasma shook her head. In her private quarters, where she was taking the call, she could hear the frantic shouts of men as Starkiller Base was shredding into pieces behind their ship. "Terex, this sort of action is precisely why you are not given the status within the First Order you believe you deserve. I warn you, if you pursue Poe Dameron to the Resistance base, the consequences will be dire."

"You really are a First Order Commander through and through, Phasma." Terex wore a genuine smile, the side of his face with the cyborg implant not moving as freely as the other. "You threaten and whine and wail, but you never _do_ anything." He sat back down, dusting off his pants before doing so. "Just sit back, relax, and let me hand you the Resistance. Why don't you just…" He gestured towards her small frame with a lack of concern. "I dunno, go polish your armor."

"Terex do not-" Her voice was cut off with a click. Terex had ended the call, his eyes now staring out into the deep void of space through the window in front of him. His fingers snapped for the attention of a servant.

"Drink. Now."

A beautiful Abednedo woman carried over a plate with shaking hands. Terex plucked the drink off without grace, nearly sending her toppling the liquid into his lap. Luckily, he hadn't seemed to notice. Her stomach churned with the thought of her lost husband, Oddy Muva, and when she would return to him and escape this wretched place.

"My, my, my." Terex sighed after taking a long sip of his wine. "That felt absolutely wonderful."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

When Mara had left the office after several hours of reading reports, her head felt heavier than after it had been shot. As it had been doing recently, her mind trickled onwards to thoughts of her pillow. It would have felt cooler, less comfortable without Poe there, and yet she was grateful for what he had given her. The motivation to sleep, to rest, and to better herself.

Thoughts of him danced around her head, intertwining with all of the messages she had read on the screen that day. It had been several hours since she had human contact, but her body carried her subconsciously through the base's hangar. She wanted to be alone with his ship, to feel the worn-out seat and think about the tremendous skills he had possessed to make that ship come alive.

The Battle of Takodana had shown Mara what Poe Dameron was really capable of. She couldn't even begin to comprehend what he must have looked like on Starkiller Base, weaving his way in and out of TIE Fighters as swiftly as a needle and thread. She was lucky - and she knew it - that he was alive.

As she turned the corner into the main hall, many of the X-Wings still in bad shape from the previous mission, a weight dropped her stomach to the floor. Poe's X-Wing was not there. Her mind began to race with worry and fear, thinking of every irrational explanation that she could.

Of course, it came down to a simple answer. Poe was nothing without BB-8 and his X-Wing, and he had likely snuck it onto the back of The Beast when nobody was looking. She almost laughed at the thought of it, a sweet sound escaping her lips and distracting a nearby mechanic. She waved in awkward politeness, turning her back swiftly on the scene.

When she finally reached Poe's room, only the small X-Wing model could recall his presence. There was not much character to the room beside that. She stared at it while she lay on the bed, her mind trickling to the night before as she tumbled into a deep sleep. Her fingers clutched at the Force seed in her pocket, a gift that Poe had offered her many months ago.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

 _The Night Before…_

 _"Mara." He pulled her away, their breath caught between them. The two stared at one another with wild eyes, their thoughts unmasked. "I don't want to leave tomorrow."_

I don't want to leave tomorrow without knowing you, without seeing you, without being with you.

 _She bit her bottom lip, fighting back the urge to protest. "You're Commander Poe Dameron. You have no choice."_

 _"I do have a choice," he muttered before kissing her once again. "At least for tonight."_

 _The kiss was slow and simple. Mara's hands could barely move at the thought of his suggestion, her pounding heart soaking up all of the energy she had. Her body stung with fear at the thought of what this might mean - that they would come together as one - and that she would be infinitely lost in the man that was Poe Dameron._ Take my heart, _she thought with desperation as their kiss pushed them into the floor._ Take it away from me.

 _Poe's body was towering over Mara's as she lay flat on the ground. The simplicity that was her, in everything that she was, overwhelmed him. He could hardly summon the strength to break free from her lips, but he needed to look her in the eye. When he did, a soft whisper fell from his lips. "Hello."_

 _"Hello," she breathed into a laugh. The laugh that collapsed his senses. His lips met her cheek with a long pause. When he pulled away again, he stood up without a second word, offering his hand to her. She followed his lead towards their room in silence, the door shutting behind them with a gentle click._

 _The two of them couldn't seem to let a finger drop from the other as they pressed themselves into the bed. They were both exhausted and sore, Poe more than he could possibly express, but they didn't long for sleep. The ache he felt now was different, burning and urgent. If he had to go countless sleepless nights to fall by her side, the world of his dreams would be the ultimate sacrifice._

 _Mara longed for something, both in her heart and in her body. She was tender, her body pressing him closer under he practically melted into her. She found it strange that bodies could do that, and even more strange that she longed for it. She was hungry for the taste of him, her eyelids repeatedly flickering open to stare at his imperfect curls._

 _Gently, with purpose, Poe began to unzip the front of her uniform. It slid off easily and tumbled to the floor, a solitary reminder that it was only the two of them. She wore tights for warmth and a plain blouse, the image of her naked body still hidden from him. Before he could continue further, she began to remove her own clothes. He couldn't truly believe that such a moment was happening, and that she was accepting him with such open arms. And yet, she lay there with her fingers clumsily peeling off his stained shirt, dropping it like a cherry on ice cream over her uniform. His belt and trousers were next to follow, nothing separating them in that moment except a mere patch of fabric. Nothing felt unusual, dangerous, or secretive about their coming together._

 _It felt right._

 _"Mara Crescent..." Poe looked into her eyes and she was able to spot the familiar golden specks in his. "I love you."_

 _Her chest was warm with his words, and she warmed it further by pressing her self against him. His lips parted against hers, the room still. In only a moment, a fraction of a second, did she feel him enter her. Her head turned sideways with the pleasure and the utter realization that there was no going back. Her hair was undone over the pillow, surrounding her face like a frame. She was more beautiful than ever, and he wanted nothing more than to relish in it._

 _Their bodies moved with one another for what felt like hours, days, weeks. It was never fast or urgent, but careful and soft. It was as if they both understood unspoken words: if this was to be the only time they made love, because the future was truly unpredictable, then they had to explore every inch of one another. They had to take turns looking at the other from above, their hands roaming everywhere that their lips could not._

 _"I love you too," Mara finally replied, after letting her head fall into the crook of his neck. "Unconditionally."_

 _His eyelids fluttered as he felt his head spin. He could feel himself getting closer to his breaking point, her body too sensuous and supple for him to hold back. He wanted it to go on longer, however, and he bit his lip with frustration. She watched him struggle, her body moving carefully to not overthrow his senses._

 _Finally, Mara broke free from her thoughts. "I want you."_

 _"I want you," he replied, his hands moving over her torso. They had been mickinging one another all night._

 _When the moment finally came, they bodies collapsed onto one another just as their clothes did on the floor. Weak. Poe's lashes flickered in and out of the world, unsure of exactly where he was. All he could comprehend was that she was there, the weight of her body so obviously atop him and around him. He could never tell her what a struggle it was to love her, what it cost him to always appear calm and force his thoughts away from her._

 _Mara's fingers mockingly slid down his chest, further and further until he gave a squirm of surprise. She laughed against his ear, her lips gently nibbling. It was unlike anything Poe could imagine she would do, the playfulness and openness of her unexpected._

 _"Did you just..._ bite _me?"_ _She nibbled his neck again, her tongue eventually meeting his skin. His body was already weak from moments before, but she continued to make it falter. He had never felt like this before, as if he could be with her over and over again and never grow tired. "Nevermind," he sighed. "I'm starting to like it."_

 _Her body crumbled beside him, finally exhausted. Beads of sweat lined their foreheads, but neither could move to brush it off. The moment was perfect, as if taken directly out of a wish blown upon a dandelion._

 _This time, Mara could set free her fear of nightmares. The only thing lining her future now were dreams._


	17. Understatement

**Hello y'all! Sorry for the delay. I meant to post this chapter earlier last week, but I had a week long training session for my new job. Seven hours a day! I made it out alive, however, and just in time to bring you this. Thank you again for all of the lovely Facebook likes and reviews. I hope you can enjoy this chapter. :) Let me know what you think!**

 **xoxo**

 **Mistro**

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Poe was flying through hyperspace, his mind racing with thoughts. It felt uneasy not having Leo and Oddy on his tail, especially with Terex just arriving back on Kaddak. And what was worse, Poe was starting to have a strange feeling about the droid in his hull. Nunzix seemed too defiant and stubborn to be programmed by Threepio.

"The more I think about it, the more this whole thing seems messed up." Poe's fingers drummed on the control board. If Oddy Muva had purposefully snuck off due to some kind of leverage Terex was holding over him, what right did Poe have to abandon an innocent man? He quickly switched off his ship's hyper-drive, slowing in empty space. "I can't risk bringing Nunzix back to D'Qar until we know what's going on."

BB-8 whizzed in response, to which Poe ordered the Commando droid be woken up.

Within a matter of moments, a voice rang out from the side of the X-Wing. "And what, exactly, is this supposed to be?" The voice scoffed, if such a thing were possible. "I thought I was pretty clear when I explained this whole deal to you. Even dumbed it down a little for that blobby thing between your ears you call a processing unit." Poe's brows lifted. That was an insult he had never heard before. "You get none of my data until I'm safe and sound on the Resistance headquarters."

Of course, Poe had no proof that the droid was leading him astray, but even now the machine's words were vague. Terex had showed up, but what if it truly _hadn't_ been because of Oddy this time? "I heard you the first time," Poe finally replied. "But let me be clear. I'm starting to think that you don't have any secret First Order data. I think this whole thing was one of Terex's tricks. Don't know how he pulled it off, don't know how he fooled Threepio, but that's what I think."

Only a few moments away, Terex and his crew were inching in on the Resistance pilot. He had picked up a signal from Nunzix and Terex could almost taste Dameron's fear on the tip of his tongue. What a glorious thing it would be to discover the Resistance base. What did it matter if it was not that pathetic inkling Kylo Ren who found it? Terex would finally get the respect he deserved, and if this was the only way to do it, then let the First Order fleet be damned.

"Where are we?" He asked one of his men. "We have to be close to the Resistance base."

"Lord Terex, we're in the middle of nowhere. There's a system not too far, but we're not getting readings from any base."

"What are you telling me, Brrang?"

"I'm saying…" The man said carefully, fearful of his Lord's anger management. "Dameron figured out what we were doing and dropped out of lightspeed. We're probably nowhere near the Resistance base."

"I see." Terex leaned back in his seat, his eyes locking on Dameron's X-Wing in the window ahead. "Well, so much for that. I guess we'll just kill him."

On the outside of the Carrion Spike, Poe and the rebel droid were continuing their conversation. A long pause filled the space between the two, Poe's suspicion lingering above their heads. "Yeah?" It was the only response the droid could manage. "What makes you think that?"

As if on cue, a fleet of ships appeared behind the X-Wing. In the middle of their makeshift bodies stood the Carrion Spike, its pointed tip directly aimed at Poe. "Blast!" Poe cried, his fingers scrambling for the controls. "I knew it! Calculate a new set of jump coordinates, BB-8! And tell me where we are! Any help nearby?"

What followed next was the last thing Poe had expected to hear.

"Did you just say… Mara Crescent?"

~.~.~.~.~.~.~

 _Earlier on the Resistance base…_

Mara had awoken to screaming. For a moment, she thought that she was lingering in that delicate space between sleep and consciousness, and that her dreams were mixing in with reality. However, after several seconds of rubbing her eyes, the sounds did not stop. Nor did the sirens. Metal doors were opening in the hallway, their urgent screeches ringing in her ears.

There was a rough banging at the door.

"Mara!" It was Elida's voice. "Mara Crescent! Are you in there? You have to wake up _now_!"

Without another word, Mara slammed the button that flew open the heavy door. Seeing Elida's face, she was grateful that she had fallen asleep in her uniform. "Elida?" Her tired eyes attempted to meet her friend's frantic ones. "What's going on? What's happening?"

From behind her, engineers and pilots were rushing through the corridor, their uniforms messily thrown together and several personal possessions strewn across their backs in packs. Whatever was happening, Mara understood one thing. They were leaving. They were abandoning the D'Qar base.

"An engineer was going through the reports for Snap's reconnaissance ship. The First Order was able to track it to the Illennium system." Mara knew what Elida was saying in so few words.

They had very little time.

The First Order was coming.

Turning her back to her friend, Mara began to shove several things into her satchel. Her clothes were easily forgotten, but her hands reached for Poe's X-Wing model. She searched his drawers and found a small amber jewel that may have been of importance, and several photographs of his team members. Mara winced when she didn't recognize over half of them, briefly understanding why Poe had kept them hidden. As she gathered her things, the questions flooded out of her. "What about Poe, BB-8, Leo and Oddy? We need BB-8 and Poe to head the fleet."

"I know," Elida was bouncing where she stood, anxiously awaiting their exit. When the door was sealed shut, they began to sprint down the hall, their words coming out in weary puffs. "We have a mechanic working on overriding Poe's commlink system as we speak. If we can manage to lock onto his location, we can find him and bring him back."

Mara sighed with at least one ounce of relief. Thank the Stars that idiot took his X-Wing.

"He's with his ship," she said as they made their way into the hangar. "He always keeps his uniform handy too, so he'll be ready if something should happen."

"Something _will_ happen."

In the hangar, a wave of people engulfed the girls. Everyone was running towards the back entrance where the Resistance's largest ship was stationed. It would be able to hold the entire crew, with the exception of the fleet and bomber ships that were now being prepared. Ahead of them, through the open gate of the main entrance, the runway stood abandoned. Engineering tables were crashed over, their supplies scattered. Buckets, uniforms and other bits of waste lay beside them, the scene an uncomfortable suggestion that this would be the last time Mara would ever step foot on D'Qar.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

"Come on," Elida tugged her towards the control room. "You need to get the coordinates of Poe's location."

Mara's brows furrowed. "I do?"

"Yes," Elida gasped, her panic starting to set in. "General Organa has already boarded the ship. She thought-"

Mara raised her hand to silence her friend. Others might have thought it looked like Leia was throwing Mara into the deep end, but the engineer understood. Of course she would be the one to get Poe. The fleet needed to stay in the D'Qar atmosphere, and the mere sight of Mara's worried face would be enough to send Poe into lightspeed before anyone could blink.

"I've got this, Elida." Mara spun her friend around towards the wave of people. "I'll meet you back on the ship through the escape pod portal."

Elida tossed one final look at her friend, her black eyes expressing more than needed to be said. Without a second of hesitation, Mara entered the control room to find Ady and a young girl at his side. She joined them, her eyes scanning the monitor for any coordinates. They were already on the screen, as if they had been waiting for her. How had she slept through such horrendous alarms? Her sleep was really coming back to her, but perhaps not for the better.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Mara?" Ady asked with worry. His wrinkled face had seen so much in his years that Mara hoped today would not be the end of it.

"Of course," she breathed, her hands on her hips. "I'll take one of the former X-Wings in case I run into any trouble on Kaddak."

The girl beside them shook her head. "These coordinates aren't linked to Kaddak. It seems Commander Dameron stopped in the middle of nowhere. However, he's not too far from our planetary system."

Mara groaned, her head rolling backwards. "That likely means he's gotten into trouble." The two looked concerned as she expressed her anxiety, but she quickly reassured them. "I can take care of it - this is a Wednesday routine to Poe. Nobody will see me coming and I can lightspeed back here before they even know who I am." Her face twitched. "Not that they'll know who I am anyway."

Ady gripped Mara's arm before she turned to leave. "Be careful, Crescent. Get to the ship as fast as possible." Her eyes flickered to the girl, who was a good head shorter. "And what's your name?"

"Rose Tico." The girl's hand stuck out fast, taking Mara by surprise. She gripped it with enthusiasm. "Thanks for offering to bring back Commander Dameron."

Mara chuckled darkly as she reached for a nearby X-Wing helmet. "Let's just hope there's something left of Commander Dameron to bring back."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Poe could hardly maintain his shock at the X-Wing that was now staring down his nose. Without warning, his commlink begin to buzz. "What the hell is going on?"

"That's one way to say hello." Mara's breath was shaking, her words full of fluster.

Poe glanced back at Terex. It seemed his ships were just as surprised as he was at the new X-Wing on the scene. Could he see Mara? Would he remember her? "How did you track me here? Did you override my system?" The anger in him was boiling, but he understood in his heart that something must have gone wrong for her to have done something so risky. "Terex is on my track. They're following me with this droid and if I don't lose it now, they'll know where the-"

"They already know!" Mara screamed, beads of sweat falling from her forehead. "They're going to arrive at the base any minute, Poe! The fleet needs you back _now_!"

The reconnaissance ship.

Poe instantly understood. They must have tracked Snap's report back to the Illennium System and eventually to D'Qar. It was Poe's worst nightmare come true, and he couldn't imagine what the base looked like. Abandoned. Frantic. Lost. It sounded like the First Order had yet to arrive near D'Qar, but Terex was still an issue. A very big issue.

"Drop that droid!" Mara screamed, mirroring his thoughts. "None of that information matters anymore! I'll head back to Kaddak and look for Leo and Oddy!"

Without hesitation, Poe let the hull open. The droid's body was quickly pulled into space, a shocked jaw dropping on Terex's face.

"What is he _doing_?" The bounty hunter gasped, standing up and slamming his fist into the control board. "Shoot at that ship before it enters hyperspace!" Terex had heard the entire conversation by linking into the droid's communications system and knew that this girl, this familiar girl, was going to make her way back to Kaddak. If he couldn't get the pilot, at least he could bring _something_ to the First Order.

As Poe was gearing up to head back to the base, he shouted back at Mara. "Leave Leo and Oddy behind! We can come back for them!" Mara was preparing to protest, but Poe went into hyperspeed without warning. She was entirely alone now, staring ahead at a fleet of smuggled ships. In the pit of her stomach she knew that it was Agent Terex looking back at her. She was thankful not to see his smug face directly, otherwise there was no guaranteeing where her anger would take her. Or her fist, for that matter.

Terex, on the other hand, had already seen her. "Is that Dameron's dirty, little mechanic girlfriend?

Before his question could be answered, the girl also went off into hyperspeed. Interestingly enough, she was going an opposite direction of her pilot friend. It seemed that she was headed back to Kaddak, just as she had announced over her headset.

"Interesting." His brow rose slowly, a gesture of seduction passing his lips. "She defied Dameron's orders. I do love a naughty woman. Mara." The name tasted sweet yet bitter on Terex's tongue, like orange marmalade. Oh, he certainly remembered her. She had been there during the fight on Megalox. She was the one the pilot had swooned for, drooled over, and the sheer memory of it made Terex's lunch come back up his throat. "That's right… pretty, pathetic Mara." Terex quickly tapped into his computer base. After he punched in her name, a large note read:

WANTED BY THE FIRST ORDER FOR INTERROGATION

"Well, well…" Terex drummed his fingers on the side of his chair. "I really don't have an interest in doing this, but seeing as we've lost our lead, I think we'll go for the damsel in distress route."

"My Lord?" Brrrang said curiously, his helmeted head cocking with curiosity. "Should we set a course for Kaddak?"

Terex nodded slowly. "Set a course for Kaddak. I want that girl within the hour."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Mara could only pray that Leo had not yet left the hangar. As she pulled into the Kaddak atmosphere, she was certain many eyes were lingering on her. Bringing an X-Wing so obviously into plain sight was a massive risk, particularly if it were a newer model. She was certain the gangs paving the streets had hundreds of X-Wings lying around in their garages, in fact Terex's fleet only moments ago had several, but hers was slightly too shiny. Resistance members would not be tolerated there, and the Sliver was an unfriendly reminder of that.

There had been no time to override Leo or Oddy's commlink. Poe was of the utmost necessity, and it made Mara want to scream just thinking that he could be fighting against the First Order that very minute. And yet, she owed it to both Leo and Oddy to tell them what was happening. If they jumped into hyperspace to come back to an entirely vanquished D'Qar, where could they go?

Mara was pulling into the hangar just after stating her ship number. The guards seemed particularly lax, making her stomach churn with concern. When she stepped outside, an unfriendly face was there to greet her.

"What are you here for?" The man said, his left eye sewn entirely shut. Only one eye, glossy and blue, glanced down at her. His lip shriveled with a glance at her boots.

Mara stood up straighter. "I don't believe you have permission to ask that question."

"Indeed I do, girly. You see, you failed to state your name."

Mara took a step closer. She was not afraid of a bully. "You should already have my name. It will be logged with my ship number."

The man glanced down at his data pad, his single eye glossing over the words curiosity. "Are you telling me that your name is Lieutenant Bastian?"

Mara's stomach dropped. Of course, she forgot to log her name into the system. The old names were still registered with her stolen X-Wing. Defiantly, she stood near on her tiptoes. "Would there be an issue if it was?"

"Just one."

The voice did not come from the man. It was a voice Mara knew too well, and it had come at her back along with something cold and round. Mara's arms lifted instinctively, not turning around to face Agent Terex and his raised blaster. If anything, it would piss him off more to not see her face, but she most certainly would have spit into it had they locked eyes.

"Oh?" She mumbled. "And what issue would that be?"

Terex rolled his eyes. No wonder the idiotic pilot fell for that girl; they were birds of a feather with their irrational courage. Without hesitation, he shot the blaster into her back, sending her falling into the fat arms of the hangar guard. He caught her smoothly, the smell of smoke and meat cuts drifting from his clothes onto hers.

"That you are a filthy liar," Terex spat, his saliva directed towards her shoes. The girl lay unconscious in the man's arms, her body slumping further towards the ground. She was sweating profusely, but Terex had noticed that the heat was not so bad. Why had she come there? What was going on at the Resistance base? Had they already started their silly war? "Bring her to my ship," Terex mumbled, wiping his blaster on his knee. "And get Phasma on the line."


	18. Prisoner

**Hey eveyoneeee. Okay, so I have a confession - this chapter is a LOT shorter than most. I think I have to start posting shorter chapters in order to get them uploaded faster. I think eventually they'll get back to being a bit longer, but for now I had to work with this since my working hours at my new job are so irregular (split shift, anyone?). So hopefully this is like a little transition chapter for you guys, since the story is going to be taking an unexpected turn. muahahaha.**

 **Please review although it's short! It always means a lot :)**

 **-MistroStrings-**

 **~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

When Mara woke up, her head was pounding. She could feel pain rising where her old wound was, and now her back matched along with it. When she rubbed her fingers against her spine, she could feel a large bump. The memory came flooding back to her.

"That bastard," she grumbled.

Her eyes took in the room around her. It was a cell - a rather nice one at that - with a padded bed and some empty shelves. Are those for decorations? She thought with a dark chuckle. A bright purple light shown down on her as she lifted her head off of the wall. She may have sat there in silence for hours, wondering about Terex's interior design tastes, had it not been for a face peering back at her.

Her door had a small window through it and across the hallway seemed to be an identical room. A woman, or at least what appeared to be a woman, stared back at her. She was leaning against the wall, her body entirely female with an animal head. It reminded Mara of old stories of Chimera from her childhood. She had never seen one in person, and was attempting not to hide her shock as the Tigress glanced back at her.

Terex clearly kept these people as slaves. The woman was well groomed, her body decorated in a tiny red suit and a long, see-through jacket. She was beautiful, and it made Mara curious as to just what her job was.

Turning away, Mara kicked the edge of the bed with a grunt. She should have known to just listen to Poe's words. But what would have happened if Leo and Oddy weren't aware of the battle? He could shoot off into hyperspace and then get struck down immediately by the First Order. Perhaps he wouldn't rush back at all, and would find himself abandoned on Kaddak.

Her thoughts went back to D'Qar. She couldn't believe the thought had slipped her mind for even a second. What had they done with her X-Wing? Had they taken it aboard the Carrion Strike? Would she be able to escape somehow, sneak on her ship, and return to…

Where?

D'Qar was no longer there. Mara was certain of that. The Resistance could have blasted off through lightspeed to any number of planets. They had allies all over the galaxy, and she had to think like Leia if she was going to make it back there.

And yet, Mara was fearful in the pit of her stomach that she could not escape. And truly, what use was she to Terex? A slave? A warrior? Both of them knew that Mara would not bow down to that. She feared in the pit of her stomach that her name had not been forgotten by the First Order, and that when they had kidnapped her parents, they were still on the lookout for her.

These thoughts may have continued, but Mara's attention was grasped by something else further down the hallway. It was the faint sound of a conversation, a singular voice sounding eerily familiar. She shut her eyes to focus on the bits of the conversation she could manage to cling onto.

"…Terex stole her. Made her his slave…"

"…All of us… we're leverage… might be useful…"

Mara sat up straighter. She knew it was likely impossible – no, improbable - but it sounded like the voice of Oddy Muva. She wanted to scream out his name, but risked putting him at danger if he truly was there. Turning her head to glance at the tigress, she noticed the woman was suddenly gone. Mara's brows came together in confusion. When had that happened?

The door was open, which means the woman must have walked out on her own. Mara attempted to tug at the handle of her own door, which was not opening. A sudden, sinking feeling rose in her throat when she heard the sound of footsteps.

"Wait!" Mara shouted, banging her fists against the window. "Let me out! I'm still here!" She continued banging for what felt like minutes, until her fists were too sore. She cursed beneath her breath, running her hand over her sore back once more.

Mara couldn't be sure of how long she waited. She suspected it had been several hours, but with the dark hum of space out of her window, she couldn't be certain. There was no sun or moon to guide her ideas. All she knew was that she was alone, and that whoever had been locked in the cells beside her had abandoned her.

The mechanic had somehow found her way to the bed. The pillow couldn't be soft with her mind racing and pacing with worries of the Resistance. She didn't want to just know what was happening. She couldn't bare it. Instead she wanted to be there, fighting beside everyone. The fact that she was missing that one opportunity seemed like religious blasphemy. There was no doubt in her mind that the First Order would be coming at them with everything they had. Unfortunately, after Starkiller Base, the Resistance had very little to respond with.

Mara's finger traced a crack in the wall as another voice appeared at the end of the hallway.

"Disgusting…" It was a woman. Her accent was different from Mara's, and sounded very much like most of the First Order members. "Clean him up. I want him gone when I'm finished getting the girl."

Mara's body jolted upwards. She was certain it was her that was 'the girl'. Her eyes narrowed onto the door knob as it shook and jolted with a pair of keys, the face appearing behind it was not what Mara had expected.

"Who are you?" Mara said flatly from the bed.

The woman was blonde and slender like a gazelle. Her uniform was as black as empty space, its leather material sticking to her toned figure. Her hair was pinned back into a tight bun, not a single stray wisp in sight. In turn, Mara nervously began to tuck away her own strands behind her ear. Most noticeably, the woman was missing an eye yet this was politely hidden with a modest eyepatch.

And she was smiling. A sincere, genuine smile.

"Nice to finally meet you. You must be Mara Crescent." Her voice melted like honey.

Mara slid further into the corner of the bed. It was the only thing she could do, seeing as Terex had taken her weapons. She felt like one of the alley cats that she had so often tried to coo out of their holes on Coruscant.

"Allow me to introduce myself," the woman continued. "My name is Commander Malarus."

"What have you done with Terex?" Mara tried not to make her question seem like one laced with concern. She did not care much for what happened to the filthy tyrant.

The woman smirked. "That man belongs to the First Order. I required him."

If Mara had been worried about concern towards Terex, she shouldn't have been. Malarus was almost twice as vicious with him, in a far more impressive way.

"What happened to your other friends?" She said with a raise of her brow. "It seems that they forgot about you."

Mara shifted uncomfortably in her bed. If it had been Oddy's voice, he wouldn't have left her. They were likely in a rush. They didn't know she was there. There wasn't time. They had to flee.

She could think of many excuses to protect her heart.

"I don't care much for friends," Mara mumbled, unable to come up with a better response.

The woman laughed again, with a voice reminiscent of a flower. "Please stand up. I won't drag you, but I require you too. If you do this civilly, everything will be much easier for you."

Mara did as she was told, but not without a questioning look. "Where are you taking me? Who requires me?"

The woman's face twitched momentarily, but she retreated back to her usual smile. "That will be decided when we arrive."


End file.
